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RIDING    FOR    LADIES. 


W.   A.   KERR,  V.C. 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


BY 


W.    A.    KERR,   V.C, 


FORMERLY   SECOND    IN    COMMAND   OF  THE   2ND   REGIMENT 
SOUTHERN   MAHARATTA   HORSE. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


NEW    YORK: 
FREDERICK    A.  STOKES    COMPANY, 

MDCCCXCI. 


PREFACE. 


This  work  should  be  taken  as  following  on,  and  in  con- 
junction with,  its  predecessor  on  ^'Riding."  In  that 
publication  will  be  found  various  chapters  on  Action,  The 
Aids,  Bits  and  Bitting,  Leaping,  Vice,  and  on  other  cognate 
subjects  which,  without  undue  repetition,  cannot  be  re- 
introduced here.  These  subjects  are  of  importance  to  and 
should  be  studied  by  all,  of  either  sex,  who  aim  at  perfec- 
tion in  the  accomplishment  of  Equitation,  and  who  seek 
to  control  and  manage  the  saddle-horse. 

W.  A.  K. 


a 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.     Introductory      ...            ...            ...            ...            ...  i 

II.     The  Lady's  Horse    ...            ...            ...            ...  6 

III.  Practical  Hints  :  How  to  Mount,  14 — The  Seat,  22 

—The  Walk,  27— The  Trot,  33— The  Canter,  39— 
The  Hand-Gallop  and  Gallop,  44 — Leaping,  46 — 
Dismounting,  51 

IV.  The  Side  Saddle                ...            ...            ...            ...  52 

V.    Hints  upon  Costume  ...            ...            ...            ...  6;^ 

VI.     A  LA  CAVALlfeRE    ...              ...              ...              ...              ...  y;^ 

VII.    Appendix  I. — The  Training  of  Ponies  for  Children  81 

Appendix  II. — Extension  and  Balance  Motions  89 


LIST    OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


-*-c*- 


PAGE 

Preparing  to  Mount    ...            ...  ...            ...            ...       i? 

Mounting — Second  Position           ...  ...            ...             19 

Mounted — Near  Side  ...            ...  ...            ...            ...      22 

Right  and  Wrong  Elbow  Action  ...  ...            ...             26 

Right  and  Wrong  Mount        ...  ...            ...            ..•      28 

Turning  in  the  Walk — Right  and  Wrong  Way     ...  31 

Right  and  Wrong  Rising         ...  ...            ...            ...      34 

The  Trot  ...            ...            ...            ...  ...            •••             3^ 

Free  but  not  Easy       ...            ...  •..            ...            .••      43 

The  Leap   ...            ...            ...            •••  •••            •••              4^ 

The  Side  Saddle,  Old  Style  ...            ...            ...      53 

The  Safety  Saddle             ...            ...  ...            ...             54 

Saddles             ...           ...            ...  ..•            •••               55~62 

The  "Zenith"  Habit — Jacket  Body  ...            ...             65 

Costumes            ...           ...           ...  ...           ...           •••    78 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


CHAPTER    I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

What  I  have  said  on  the  excellence  of  horse-exercise  for 
boys  and  men,,  applies  equally  to  girls  and  women,  if, 
indeed,  it  does  not  recommend  itself  more  especially  in  the 
case  of  the  latter.  For  the  most  part  the  pursuits  of  women 
are  so  quiet  and  sedentary  that  the  body  is  rarely  called 
into  that  complete  activity  of  all  the  muscles  which  is 
essential  to  their  perfect  development,  and  which  produces 
the  strength  and  freedom  of  movement  so  indispensable  to 
perfect  grace  of  carriage. 

The  woman  who  has  been  early  accustomed  to  horse- 
exercise  gains  a  courage  and  nerve  which  it  would  be 
difficult  to  acquire  in  a  more  pleasant  and  healthful  manner. 
She  also  gains  morally  in  learning  to  feel  a  sympathy  with 
the  noble  animal  to  whom  she  is  indebted  for  so  much 
enjoyment,  and  whose  strength  and  endurance  are  too  often 
cruelly  abused  by  man.  Numerous  instances  have  occurred 
in  my  experience  of  the  singular  influence  obtained  by 
ladies  over  their  horses  by  simple  kindness,  and  I  am 
tempted  to  introduce  here  an  account  of  what  gentle 
treatment  can  effect  with  the  Arab.  The  lady  who  told  the 
tale  did  not  lay  claim  to  being  a  first-rate  horsewoman.  Her 
veracity  was  undoubted,   for  her  whole  life  was  that  of  a 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


ministering  angel.  She  wrote  thus :  "  I  had  a  horse  pro- 
vided for  me  of  rare  beauty  and  grace,  but  a  perfect  Buce- 
phalus in  her  way.  She  was  only  two  generations  removed 
from  a  splendid  Arabian,  given  by  the  good  old  king  to  the 
Duke  of  Kent  when  H.R.H.  went  out  in  command  to  Nova 
Scotia.  The  creature  was  not  three  years  old,  and  to  all 
appearance  unbroken.  Her  ^manners  were  those  of  a  kid 
rather  than  of  a  horse ;  she  was  of  a  lovely  dappled  gray, 
with  mane  and  tail  of  silver,  the  latter  almost  sweeping  the 
ground ;  and  in  her  frolicsome  gambols  she  turned  it  over 
her  back  like  a  Newfoundland  dog.  Her  slow  step  was  a 
bound,  her^  swift  motion  unlike  that  of  any  other  animal  I 
ever  rode,  so  fleet,  so  smooth,  so  unruffled.  I  know  nothing 
to  which  I  can  compare  it.  Well,  I  made  this  lovely 
creature  so  fond  of  me  by  constant  petting,  to  which,  I 
suppose,  her  Arab  character  made  her  peculiarly  sensitive, 
that  my  voice  had  equal  power  over  her,  as  over  my  faithful 
docile  dog.  No  other  person  could  in  the  slightest  degree 
control  her.  Our  corps,  the  73rd  Batt.  of  the  60th  Rifles, 
was  composed  wholly  of  the  elite  of  Napoleon's  soldiers, 
taken  in  the  Peninsula,  and  preferring  the  British  service 
to  a  prison.  They  were,  principally,  conscripts,  and  many 
were  evidently  of  a  higher  class  in  society  than  those  usually 
found  in  the  ranks.  Among  them  were  several  Chasseurs 
and  Polish  Lancers,  very  fine  equestrians,  and  as  my  husband 
had  a  field-officer's  command  on  detachment,  and  allow- 
ances, our  horses  were  well  looked  after.  His  groom  was 
a  Chasseur,  mine  a  Pole,  but  neither  could  ride  "Fairy" 
unless  she  happened  to  be  in  a  very  gracious  mood.  Lord 
Dalhousie's  English  coachman  afterwards  tried  his  hand  at 
taming  her,  but  all  in  vain.  In  an  easy  quiet  manner  she 
either  sent  her  rider  over  her  head  or,  by  a  laughable 
manoeuvre,  sitting  down  like  a  dog  on  her  haunches,  slipped 


INTROD  UCTOR  Y. 


him  off  the  other  way.    Her  drollery  made  the  poor  men  so 

fond  of  her  that  she  was  rarely  chastised,  and  such  a  wilful, 

intractable  wild  Arab  it  would  be  hard  to  find.     Upon  her 

I  was  daily  mounted.     Inexperienced  in  riding,  untaught, 

unassisted,  and  wholly  unable  to  lay  any  check  upon   so 

powerful    an    animal,   with   an   awkward   country   saddle, 

which,  by  some  fatality,  was  never  well  fixed,  bit  and  bridle 

to  match,  and  the  mare's  natural  fire  increased  by  high 

feed,  behold  me  bound  for  the  wildest  paths  in  the  wildest 

regions  of  that  wild  country.     But  you  must  explore  the 

roads  about  Annapolis,  and  the  romantic  spot  called  the 

"  General's  Bridge,"  to  imagine  either  the  enjoyment  or  the 

perils  of  my  happiest  hour.     Reckless  to  the  last  degree  of 

desperation,  I  threw  myself  entirely  on  the  fond  attachment 

of  the  noble  creature ;  and  when  I  saw  her  measuring  with 

her  eye  some  rugged  fence  or  wild  chasm,  such  as  it  was 

her  common  sport  to  leap  over  in  her  play,  the  soft  word 

of  remonstrance  that  checked  her  was  uttered  more  from 

regard  to  her  safety  than  my  own.     The  least  whisper,  a 

pat  on  the  neck,  or  a  stroke  down  the  beautiful  face  that 

she  used  to  throw  up  towards  mine,  would  control  her ;  and 

never  for  a  moment  did  she  endanger  me.     This  was  little 

short  of  a  daily  miracle,  when  we  consider  the  nature  of  the 

country^  her  character,  and  my  unskilfulness.     It  can  only 

be  accounted  for  on  the  ground  of  that  wondrous  power 

which,  having  willed  me  to  work  for  a  time  in  the  vineyard 

of  the  Lord,  rendered  me  immortal  till  the  work  should  be 

done.    Rather,  I  should  say,  in  the  words  of  Cooper,  which 

I  have  ventured  to  slightly  vary — 

*'  'Tis  plain  the  creature  whom  He  chose  to  invest 
With  qiicen-'^v^  and  dominion  o'er  the  rest, 
Received  her  nobler  nature,  and  was  made 
Fit  for  the  power  in  which  she  stands  arrayed." 

Strongly  as  I  advocate  early  tuition,  if  a  girl  has  not 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


mounted  a  horse  up  to  her  thirteenth  year^  my  advice  is 
to  postpone  the  attempt,  unless  thoroughly  strong,  for  a 
couple  of  years  at  least.  I  cannot  here  enter  the  reason 
why,  but  it  is  good  and  sufficient.  Weakly  girls  of  all 
ages,  especially  those  who  are  growing  rapidly,  are  apt 
to  suffer  from  pain  in  the  spine.  "The  Invigorator" 
corset  I  have  recommended  under  the  head  of  "  Ladies' 
Costume"  will,  to  some  extent,  counteract  this  physical 
weakness;  but  the  only  certain  cures  are  either  total 
cessation  from  horse  exercise,  or  the  adoption  of  the 
cross,  or  Duchess  de  Berri,  seat — in  plain  words,  to  ride 
a  la  cavaliere  astride  in  a  man's  saddle.  In  spite  of  pre- 
conceived prejudices,  I  think  that  if  ladies  will  kindly  peruse 
my  short  chapter  on  this  common  sense  method,  they 
will  come  to  the  conclusion  that  Anne  of  Luxembourg, 
who  introduced  the  side-saddle,  did  not  confer  an  unmixed 
benefit  on  the  subjects  of  Richard  the  Second,  and  that 
riding  astride  is  no  more  indelicate  than  the  modern  short 
habit  in  the  hunting  field.  We  are  too  apt  to  prostrate 
ourselves  before  the  Juggernaut  of  fashion,  and  to  hug  our 
own  conservative  ideas. 

Though  the  present  straight-seat  side-saddle,  as  manu- 
factured by  Messrs.  Champion  and  Wilton,  modifies,  if  it 
does  not  actually  do  away  with,  any  fear  of  curvature  of  the 
spine ;  still,  it  is  of  importance  that  girls  should  be  taught 
to  ride  on  the  off-side  as  well  as  the  near,  and,  if  possible, 
on  the  cross-saddle  also.  Undoubtedly,  a  growing  girl, 
whose  figure  and  pliant  limbs  may,  like  a  sapling,  be  trained 
in  almost  any  direction,  does,  by  always  being  seated  in 
one  direction,  contract  a  tendency  to  hang  over  to  one 
side  or  the  other,  and  acquire  a  stiff,  crooked,  or  ungainly 
seat.  Perfect  ease  and  squareness  are  only  to  be  acquired, 
durinof  tuition  and  after  dismissal  from  school,  by  riding 


INTRODUCTORY. 


5 


one  day  on  the  near  and  the  next  on  the  off-side.  This 
change  will  ease  the  horse,  and,  by  bringing  opposite 
sets  of  muscles  into  play,  will  impart  strength  to  the  rider 
and  keep  the  shoulders  level.  Whichever  side  the  rider 
sits,  the  reins  are  held,  mainly,  in  the  left  hand — the  left 
hand  is  known  as  the  ^'  bridle-hand."  Attempts  have  fre- 
quently been  made  to  build  a  saddle  with  two  flaps  and 
movable  third  pommel,  but  the  result  lias  been  far  from 
satisfactory.  A  glance  at  a  side-saddle  tree  will  at  once 
demonstrate  the  difficulty  the  saddler  has  to  meet,  add  to 
this  a  heavy  and  ungainly  appearance.  The  only  way  in 
which  the  shift  can  be  ol)tained  is  by  having  two  saddles. 


NAOMI    (a   high-caste  ARABIAN   MARE). 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


CHAPTER   II. 

THE   lady's   horse. 

There  is  no  more  difficult  animal  to  find  on  the  face  of 
the  earth  than  a  perfect  lady's  horse.  It  is  not  every  one 
that  can  indulge  in  the  luxury  of  a  two-hundred-and-fifty 
to  three-hundred-guinea  hack,  and  yet  looks,  action,  and 
manners  will  always  command  that  figure,  and  more.  Some 
people  say,  what  can  carry  a  man  can  carry  a  woman.  What 
says  Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue  to  this  :  "  A  heavy  horse  is 
never  in  any  way  suitable  to  a  lady.  It  looks  amiss.  The 
trot  is  invariably  laboured,  and  if  the  animal  should  chance 
to  fall,  he  gives  his  rider  what  we  know  in  the  hunting-field 
as  '  a  mighty  crusher.'  It  is  indeed,  a  rare  thing  to  meet 
a  perfect  '  lady's  horse.'  In  all  my  wide  experience  I  have 
met  but  two.  Breeding  is  necessary  for  stability  and  speed — 
two  things  most  essential  to  a  hunter ;  but  good  light  action 
is,  for  a  roadster,  positively  indispensable,  and  a  horse  who 
does  not  possess  it  is  a  burden  to  his  rider,  and  is,  moreover, 
exceedingly  unsafe,  as  he  is  apt  to  stumble  at  every  rut 
and  stone." 

Barry  Cornwall  must  have  had  something  akin  to  per- 
fection in  his  mind's  eye  when  penning  the  following  lines  :— 

"  Full  of  fire,  and  full  of  bone, 
All  his  line  of  fathers  known  ; 
Fine  his  nose,  his  nostrils  thin, 
But  blown  abroad  by  the  pride  within  ! 
His  mane  a  stormy  river  flowing, 
And  his  eyes  like  embers  glowing 
In  the  darkness  of  the  night, 
And  his  pace  as  swift  as  light. 


THE  LADY'S  HORSE. 


Look,  around  his  straining  throat 

Grace  and  shifting  beauty  float  ! 

Sinewy  strength  is  in  his  reins, 

And  the  red  blood  gallops  through  his  veins." 

How  often  do  we  hear  it  remarked  of  a  neat  blood* 
looking  nag,  ''  Yes,  very  pretty  and  blood-like,  but  there's 
nothing  of  him;  only  fit  to  carry  a  woman."  No  greater 
mistake  can  be  made,  for  if  we  consider  the  matter  in  all 
its  bearings,  we  shall  see  that  the  lady  should  be  rather 
over  than  under  mounted. 

The  average  weight  of  English  ladies  is  said  to  be  nine 
stone  ;  to  that  must  be  added  another  stone  for  saddle  and 
bridle  (I  don't  know  if  the  habit  and  other  habiliments 
be  included  in  the  nine  stone),  and  we  must  give  them 
another  stone  in  hand  ;  or  eleven  stone  in  all.  A  blood,  or 
at  furthest,  two  crosses  of  blood  on  a  good  foundation,  horse 
will  carry  this  weight  as  well  as  it  can  be  carried.  It  is 
a  fault  among  thoroughbreds  that  they  do  not  bend  the 
knee  sufficiently ;  but  there  are  exceptions  to  this  rule.  I 
know  of  two  Stud  Book  sires,  by  Lowlander,  that  can  trot 
against  the  highest  stepping  hackney  or  roadster-  in  the 
kingdom,  and,  if  trained,  could  put  the  dust  in  the  eyes 
of  nine  out  of  ten  of  the  much-vaunted  standard  American 
trotters.  Their  bold,  elegant,  and  elastic  paces  come  up  to 
the  ideal  poetry  of  action,  carrying  themselves  majestically, 
all  their  movements  like  clockwork,  for  truth  and  regularity. 
The  award  of  a  first  prize  as  a  hunter  sire  to  one  of  these 
horses  establishes  his  claim  to  symmetry,  but,  being  full 
sixteen  hands  and  built  on  weight-carrying  lines,  he  is  just 
one  or  two  inches  too  tall  for  carrying  any  eguestriejuie 
short  of  a  daughter  of  Anak. 

Though    too    often   faulty   in   formation    of    shoulders, 
thoroughbreds,  as  their  name  implies,  are  generally  full  of 


8  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


quality  and,  under  good  treatment,  generous  horses.  I  do 
not  chime  in  with  those  who  maintain  that  a  horse  can 
do  no  wrong,  but  do  assert  that  he  comes  into  the  world 
poisoned  by  a  considerably  less  dose  of  original  sin  than 
we,  who  hold  dominion  over  him,  are  cursed  with. 

Two-year-olds  that  have  been  tried  and  found  lacking  that 
keen  edge  of  speed  so  necessary  in  these  degenerate  days 
of  "  sprinting,"  many  of  them  cast  in  *'  beauty's  mould,"  are 
turned  out  of  training  and  are  to  be  picked  up  at  very 
reasonable  prices.  Never  having  known  a  bit  more  severe 
than  that  of  the  colt-breaker  and  the  snaffle,  the  bars  of 
their  mouths  are  not  yet  callous,  and  being  rescued  from 
the  clutches  of  the  riding  lads  of  the  training-stable,  before 
they  are  spoiled  as  to  temper,  they  may,  in  many  instances, 
under  good  tuition,  be  converted  into  admirable  ladies' 
horses — hacks  or  hunters.  They  would  not  be  saleable  till 
four  years  old,  but  seven  shillings  a  week  would  give  them 
a  run  at  grass  and  a  couple  of  feeds  of  oats  till  such  time 
as  they  be  thoroughly  taken  in  hand,  conditioned,  and 
taught  their  business.  The  margin  for  profit  on  well  bought 
animals  of  this  description,  and  their  selling  price  as 
perfect  lady's  horses,  are  very  considerable. 

In  my  opinion  no  horse  can  be  too  good  or  too  perfectly 
trained  for  a  lady.  Some  Amazons  can  ride  anything,  play 
cricket,  polo,  golf,  lawn-tennis,  fence,  scale  the  Alps,  etc., 
and  I  have  known  one  or  two  go  tiger-shooting.  But  all 
are  not  manly  women,  despite  fashion,  trending  in  that 
unnatural,  unlovable  direction.  One  of  their  own  sex 
describes  them  as  "  gentle,  kindly,  and  cowardly^  That 
all  are  not  heroines,  I  admit,  but  no  one  who  witnessed  or 
even  read  of  their  devoted  courage  during  the  dark  days 
of  the  Indian  mutiny,  can  question  their  ability  to  face 
terrible  danger  with   superlative  valour.     The  heroism  of 


THE  LADY'S  HORSE. 


Mrs.  Grim  wood  at  Manipur  is  fresh  in  our  memory.  What 
the  majority  are  wanting  in  is  nerve.  I  have  seen  a  few 
women  go  to  hounds  as  well  and  as  straight  as  the  ordinary 
run  of  first-flight  men.  That  I  do  not  consider  the  lady's 
seat  less  secure  than  that  of  the  cross-seated  sterner  sex, 
may  be  inferred  from  the  sketch  of  the  rough-rider  in  my 
companion  volume  for  masculine  readers,  demonstrating 
"  the  last  resource,"  and  giving  practical  exemplification  of 
the  proverb,  "He  that  can  quietly  endure  overcometh." 
What  women  lack,  in  dealing  with  an  awkward,  badly 
broken,  unruly  horse,  is  muscular  force,  dogged  determination, 
and  the  ability  to  struggle  and  persevere.  Good  nerve  and 
good  temper  are  essentials. 

Having  given  Barry  Cornwall's  poetic  ideal  of  a  horse,  I 
now  venture  on  a  further  rhyming  sketch  of  what  may 
fairly  be  termed  "  a  good  sort": — 

"  With  intelligent  head,  lean,  and  deep  at  the  jowl. 
Shoulder  sloping  well  back,  with  a  skin  like  a  mole. 
Round -barrelled,  broad-loined,  and  a  tail  carried  free. 
Long  and  muscular  arms,  short  and  flat  from  the  knee. 
Great  thighs  full  of  power,  hocks  both  broad  and  low  down. 
With  fetlocks  elastic,  feet  sound  and  well  grown ; 
A  horse  like  unto  this,  with  blood  dam  and  blood  sire, 
To  Park  or  for  field  may  to  honours  aspire  ; 
It's  the  sort  I'm  in  want  of — do  you  know  such  a  thing  ? 
'Tis  the  mount  for  a  sportswoman,  and  fit  for  a  queen  !  " 

My  unhesitating  advice  to  ladies  is  Never  buy  for  yourself. 
Having  described  what  you  want  to  some  well-known  judge 
who  is  acquainted  with  your  style  of  riding,  and  who  knows 
the  kind  of  animal  most  likely  to  suit  your  temperament, 
tell  him  to  go  to  a  certain  price,  and,  if  he-  be  a  gentleman 
you  will  not  be  disappointed.  You  won't  get  perfection,  for 
that  never  existed  outside  the  garden  of  Eden,  but  you  will 
be  well  carried  and  get  your  money's  worth.  Ladies  are 
not  fit  to  cope  with  dealers,  unless  the  latter  be  top-sawyers 


lo  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

of  the  trade,  have  a  character  to  lose,  and  can  be  trusted. 
There  has  been  a  certain  moral  obliquity  attached  to  dealing 
in  horses  ever  since,  and  probably  before,  they  of  the  House 
of  Togarmah  traded  in  Tyrian  fairs  with  horses,  horsemen, 
and  mules.  Should  your  friend  after  all  his  trouble  purchase 
something  that  does  not  to  the  full  realize  your  fondest 
expectation,  take  the  will  for  the  deed,  and  bear  in  mind 
"  oft  expectation  fails,  and  most  oft  there  where  most  it 
promises." 

With  nineteen  ladies  out  of  every  score,  the  looks  of 
a  horse  are  a  matter  of  paramount  importance  :  he  must  be 
"  a  pretty  creature,  with  beautiful  deer-like  legs,  and  a 
lovely  head."  Their  inclinations  lead  them  to  admire  what 
is  beautiful  in  preference  to  what  is  true  of  build,  useful, 
and  safe.  If  a  lady  flattered  me  with  a  commission  to  buy 
her  a  horse,  having  decided  upon  the  colour,  I  should 
look  out  for  something  after  this  pattern :  one  that  would 
prove  an  invaluable  hack,  and  mayhap  carry  her  safely  and 
well  across  country. 

Height  fifteen  two,  or  fifteen  three  at  the  outside ;  age 
between  six  and  eight,  as  thoroughbred  as  Eclipse  or 
nearly  so.  The  courage  of  the  lion  yet  gentle  withal. 
Ears  medium  size,  well  set  on,  alert ;  the  erect  and  quick 
"pricking"  motion  indicates  activity  and  spirit.  I  would 
not  reject  a  horse,  if  otherwise  coming  up  to  the  mark, 
for  a  somewhat  large  ear  or  for  one  slightly  inclined  to  be 
lopped,  for  in  blood  this  is  a  pretty  certain  indication  of 
the  Melbourne  strain,  one  to  which  we  are  much  indebted. 
The  characteristics  of  the  Melbournes  are,  for  the  most 
part,  desirable  ones :  docility,  good  temper,  vigorous  con- 
stitution, plenty  of  size,  with  unusually  large  bone,  sound- 
ness of  joints  and  abundance  of  muscle.  But  these  racial 
peculiarities  are  recommendations  for  the  coverside  rather 


THE  LADY'S  HORSE.  n 

than  for  the  Park.  The  eye  moderately  prominent,  soft, 
expressive,  "the  eye  of  a  listening  deer."  The  ears  and 
the  eyes  are  the  interpreters  of  disposition.  Forehead 
broad  and  flat.  A  "  dish  face,"  that  is,  slightly  concave 
or  indented,  is  a  heir-loom  from  the  desert^  and  belongs 
to  Nejd.  The  jaws  deep,  wide  apart,  with  plenty  of  space 
for  the  wind-pipe  when  the  head  is  reined  in  to  the  chest. 
Nostrils  long,  wide,  and  elastic,  exhibiting  a  healthy  pink 
membrane.  We  hear  a  good  deal  of  large,  old-fashioned 
heads,  and  see  a  good  many  of  the  fiddle  and  Roman-nosed 
type,  but,  in  my  opinion,  these  cumbersome  heads^  unless 
very  thin  and   fleshless,  are  indicative  of  plebeian  blood. 

The  setting  on  of  the  head  is  a  very  important  point. 
The  game-cock  throttle  is  the  right  formation,  giving 
elasticity  and  the  power  to  bend  in  obedience  to  the  rider's 
hand.  What  the  dealers  term  a  fine  topped  horse,  generally 
one  with  exuberance  of  carcase  and  light  of  limbs,  is  by  no 
means  "  the  sealed  pattern  "  for  a  lady ;  on  the  contrary, 
the  neck  should  be  light,  finely  arched — that  peculiarly 
gracefiil  curve  imported  from  the  East, — growing  into 
shoulders  not  conspicious  for  too  high  withers.  "Long 
riding  shoulders"  is  an  expression  in  almost  every  horse- 
man's mouth,  but  very  high  and  large-shouldered  animals 
are  apt  to  ride  heavy  in  hand  and  to  be  high  actioned. 
Well-laid-back  shoulders,  rather  low,  fine  at  the  points,  not 
set  too  far  apart,  and  well-muscled  will  be  found  to  give 
pace  with  easy  action. 

He  should  stand  low  on  the  legs,  which  means  depth  of 
fore-rib,  so  essential  in  securing  the  lad5''s  saddle,  as  well 
as  ensuring  the  power  and  endurance  to  sustain  and  carry 
the  rider's  weight  in  its  proper  place.  Fore-legs  set  well 
forward,  with  long,  muscular  arms,  and  room  to  place  the  flat 
of  the  hand  between  the  elbows  and  the  ribs.     The  chest 


12  RIDING  FOR  LADIES, 

can  hardly  be  too  deep,  but  it  can  be  too  wide,  or  have  too 
great  breadth  between  the  fore-legs.  The  back  only  long 
enough  to  find  room  for  the  saddle  is  the  rule,  though,  in 
case  of  a  lady's  horse,  a  trifle  more  length  unaccompanied  by 
the  faintest  sign  of  weakness,  will  do  no  harm.  For  speed, 
a  horse  must  have  length  somewhere,  and  I  prefer  to  see  it 
below,  between  the  point  of  the  elbow  and  the  stifle  joint, 
Ormonde,  "  the  horse  of  the  century,"  was  nearly  a  square, 
i.e.  the  height  from  the  top  of  the  wither  to  the  ground 
almost  equalled  the  length  of  his  body  from  the  point  of  the 
shoulder  to  the  extremity  of  the  buttock.  Horses  with 
short  backs  and  short  bodies  are  generally  biuk-kapers,  and 
difficult  to  sit  on  when  fencing.  The  couplings  or  loins 
cannot  be  too  strong  or  the  ribs  too  well  sprung ;  the  back 
ribs  well  hooped.  This  formation  is  a  sign  of  a  good 
constitution.  The  quarters  must  needs  be  full,  high  set  on, 
with  straight  crupper,  well  rounded  muscular  buttocks,  a 
clean  channel,  with  big  stifles  and  thighs  to  carry  them. 
Knees  and  hocks  clean,  broad,  and  large,  back  sinews  and 
ligaments  standing  well  away  from  the  bone,  flat  and  hard 
as  bands  of  steel ;  short  well-defined  smooth  cannons ; 
pasterns  nicely  sloped,  neither  too  long  nor  too  short,  but 
full  of  spring;  medium  sized  feet,  hard  as  the  nether 
millstone.  If  possible,  I  should  select  one  endowed  with 
the  characteristic  spring  of  the  Arab's  tail  from  the  crupper. 
Such  a  horse  would,  in  the  words  of  Kingsley,  possess  "  the 
beauty  of  Theseus,  light  but  massive,  and  light,  not  in  spite 
of  its  masses,  but  on  account  of  the  perfect  disposition  of 
them." 

There  is  no  need  for  the  judge  to  run  the  rule,  or  the  tape 
either,  over  the  horse.  His  practised  eye,  almost  in  a  glance, 
will  take  in  the  general  contour  of  the  animal ;  it  will  tell 
him    whether    the  various   salient    and  important   points 


Tim  LADY'S  noksE.  \x 


o 


balance,  and  will"  instantly  detect  any  serious  flaw.  When 
selecting  for  a  lady  who,  he  knows,  will  appreciate  sterling 
worth  rather  than  mere  beauty,  he  may  feel  disposed  to 
gloss  over  a  certain  decidedness  of  points  and  dispense  with" 
a  trifle  of  the  comely  shapeliness  of  truthfully  moulded 
form.  Having  satisfied  myself  that  the  framework  is  all 
right,  I  would  order  the  horse  to  be  sauntered  away  from 
me  with  a  loose  rein,  and,  still  with  his  head  at  perfect 
liberty,  walked  back  again.  I  would  then  see  him  smartly 
trotted  backwards  and  forwards.  Satisfied  with  his  natural 
dismounted  action,  I  should  require  to  see  him  ridden  in  all 
his  paces,  and  might  be  disposed  to  get  into  the  saddle 
myself.  Having  acquitted  himself  to  my  satisfaction,  he 
would  then  have  to  exhibit  himself  in  the  Park  or  in  a 
field,  ridden  in  the  hands  of  some  proficient  lady-rider.  A 
few  turns  under  her  pilotage  would  suffice  to  decide  his 
claims  to  be  what  I  am  looking  for.  If  he  came  up  to  my 
ideas  of  action,  or  nearly  so^  I  should  not  hesitate — subject 
to  veterinary  certificate  of  soundness — to  purchase.  Finally, 
the  gentleman  to  examine  the  horse  as  to  his  soundness 
would  be  one  of  my  own  selection.  Certain  of  the  London 
dealers  insist  upon  examinations  being  made  by  their  own 
"  Vets,"  and  "  there's  a  method  in  their  madness."  When 
such  a  stipulation  is  made,  I  invariably  play  the  return 
match  by  insisting  upon  having  the  certificate  of  the  Royal 
College  of  Veterinary  Surgeons,  where  the  investigation  is 
complete  and  rigorous.  The  very  name  of  "the  College" 
is  gall  and  wormwood  to  many  of  these  "'  gentlemen  con- 
cerned about  horses." 


14  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


CHAPTER    III. 

PRACTICAL    HINTS. 

How  TO   Mount. 

Previous  to  mounting,  the  lady  should  make  a  practice 
of  critically  looking  the  horse  over,  in  order  to  satisfy  her- 
self that  he  is  properly  saddled  and  bridled.  Particular 
attention  should  be  paid  to  the  girthing.  Though  ladies 
are  not  supposed  to  girth  their  own  horses,  occasion  may 
arise,  in  the  Colonies  especially,  when  they  may  be  called 
upon  to  perform  that  office.  Information  on  this  essential 
and  too  oft-neglected  point  may  not  be  out  of  place.  Odd 
as  it  may  sound,  few  grooms  know  how  to  girth  a  horse 
properly,  and  to  explain  myself  I  must,  for  a  few  lines,  quit 
the  side-saddle  for  the  cross-saddle.  Men  often  wonder 
how  it  is  that,  on  mounting,  the  near  stirrup  is  almost 
invariably  a  hole  or  more  the  longer  of  the  two.  The 
reason  is  this  :  the  groom  places  the  saddle  right  in  the 
centre  of  the  horse's  back  and  then  proceeds  to  tighten  the 
girths  from  the  near  or  left  side.  The  tension  on  the  girth- 
holder,  all  from  one  side,  cants  the  saddle  over  to  the  left, 
to  which  it  is  still  further  drawn  by  the  weight  of  the  rider 
in  mounting  and  the  strain  put  upon  it  by  the  act  of  spring- 
ing into  the  saddle.  This  list  to  port  can  easily  be  obviated 
by  the  groom  placing  the  heel  of  his  left  hand  against  the 
near  side  of  the  pommel,  guiding  the  first  or  under-girth 
with  the  right  hand  till  the  girth-holder  passes  through  the 
buckle  and  is  moderately  tight,  then,  with  both  hands, 
bracing  it  so  that  room  remains  for  one  finger  to  be  passed 


HO IV  TO  MOUNT.  15 


between  it  and  the  horse.     The  same  must  be  done  in  the 
case  of  the  outer  girth. . 

In  a  modified  degree  the  side-saddle  is  displaced  by 
the  common  mode  of  girthing.  The  surcingle  should  lie 
neatly  over  the  girths,  and  have  an  equal  bearing  with 
them.  When  the  "  Fitzwilliam  girth "  is  used — and  its 
general  use  is  to  be  advocated,  not  only  on  account  of  its 
safety  and  the  firmness  of  the  broad  web,  but  for  its  freedom 
from  rubbins:  the  skin  behind  the  elbow — the  leather  sur- 
cingle  of  the  saddle  will  take  the  place  of  the  usual  leather 
outside  strap  supplied  with  this  girth. 

For  inspection  the  horse  should  be  brought  up  to  the  lady, 
off  side  on.     She  should  note  that  the  throat-lash  falls  easily, 
but  not  dangling,  on  the  commencement  of  the  curve  of  the 
cheek-bone,   and   that   it   is   not   buckled  tight  round  the 
throttle,    like  a   hangman's   "  hempen-tow."     The  bridoon 
should  hang  easily  in  the  mouth,  clear  of  the  corners  or 
angles,  and  not  wrinkling  them ;  the  curb  an  inch  or  so 
above  the  tusk,  or,  in  the  case  of  a  mare,  where  that  tooth 
might  be  supposed  to  be  placed.     She  will  see  that  the.  curb- 
chain  is  not  too  tight,  that  the  lip-strap  is  carried  through 
the  small  ring  on  the  chain,  also  that  the  chain  lies  smooth 
and  even.     In  fixing  the  curb,  if  the  chain  be  turned  to  the 
right,  the   links   will   unfold    themselves.     It  is   taken  for 
granted  that  by  frequent  personal  visits  to  the  stable,  or  by 
trusty  deputy,    she  is  satisfied  that  the  horse's   back   and 
withers  are  not  galled  or   wrung.     A   groom  withholding 
information  on  this  point  should,  after  one  warning,  get  his 
conge.     That  the  bits  and  stirrup  be  burnished  as  bright  as 
a  Life  Guardsman's  cuirasse,  the  saddle  and  bridle  perfectly 
clean,  and  the  horse  thoroughly  well  groomed,  goes  without 
saying.     All  the  appointments  being  found  in  a  condition 
.fit  for  Queen's  escort  duty,  we  now  proceed  to  put  the  lady 


1 6  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


in,  not  into,  her  saddle.  She  should  approach  the  horse 
from  the  front,  and  not  from  behind. 

After  a  kind  word  or  two  and  a  httle  "gentling,"  she, 
with  her  whip,  hmiting  crop,  or  riding  cane  in  her  right  hand, 
picks  up  the  bridoon  rein  with  her  left,  draws  it  through  the 
right  smoothly  and  evenly,  feeling  the  horse's  mouth  very 
lightly,  until  it  reaches  the  crutch,  which  she  takes  hold  of. 
In  passing  the  rein  through  the  hand,  care  must  be  taken 
that  it  is  not  allowed  to  slacken  so  that  touch  of  the 
mouth  is  lost.  Attention  to  this  will  keep  the  horse  in  his 
position  whilst  being  mounted  \  for  should  he  move  back- 
ward or  forward  or  away  as  the  lady  is  in  the  act  of  spring- 
ing into  the  saddle,  he  not  only  makes  the  vaulting  exceed- 
ingly awkward,  but  dangerous.  Many  horses  sidle  away  as 
the  lady  is  balanced  on  one  foot  and  holding  on  to  the 
pommel  with  the  right  hand,  in  which  case  she  must  at  once 
quit  her  hold  or  a  fall  will  follow. 

Having  adjusted  the  rein  of  the  bridoon  to  an  equal 
length,  the  whip  point  down  with  the  end  of  the  rein  on  the 
off  side,  she  stands  looking  in  the  direction  the  horse  is 
standing — i.e.,  to  her  proper  front,  her  right  shoulder  and  arm 
in  contact  with  the  flap  of  the  saddle  near  side.  The  mounter 
advances  facing  her,  and,  close  to  the  horse's  shoulder,  can 
perform  his  oftice  in  three  different  ways.  Stooping  down,  he 
places  his  right  hand,  knuckles  downwards,  on  his  right  knee, 
and  of  it  the  lady  makes  a  sort  of  mounting  block,  whence, 
springing  from  the  left  foot,  she  reaches  her  saddle.  When 
she  springs  she  has  the  aid  of  her  grip  on  the  crutch,  sup- 
plemented by  the  raising  power  of  her  left  hand  resting  on 
the  man's  shoulder.  Or  the  groom  aids  the  spring  by  the 
uplifting  of  both  the  hand  and  the  knee.  The  third  method 
is,  for  the  mounter — his  left  arm,  as  before,  touching  the 
horse's  shoulder — to  stoop  down  till  his  left  shoulder  comes 


HOPl^  TO  MOUNT. 


17 


within  easy  reach  of  the  lady's  left  hand,  which  she  lays  on 
it.  He  at  the  same  time  advances  his  left  foot  till  it  in- 
terposes between  her  and  the  horse  and  makes  a  cradle  of 
his  hands,  into  which  she  places  her  left  foot.     Her  grip  is 


PREPARING  TO   MOUNT. 


Still  on  the  crutch,  and  she  still  feels  the  horse's  mouth.  One, 
two,  three !  she  springs  like  feathered  INIercury,  and  he, 
straightening  himself,  accentuates  the  light  bound,  and 
straightway  she  finds  herself  in  the  saddle. 

It  is  dangerous  to  face  the  mounter  in  such  a  position 
that  the  spring  is  made  with  the  rider's  back  to  her  horse's 
side,  for  in  the  event  of  his  starting  suddenly  or  "  taking 
ground  to  her  right,"  an  awkward  full-length  back-fall  may 
result.     The  foot  must  be  placed  firmly  in  the  mounter's 

C 


•l8  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

hand ;  during  the  lift  it  must  not  be  advanced,  but  kept  under 
her,  and  he  must  not  attempt  to  raise  her  till  her  right  foot 
be  clear  of  the  ground.  The  best  plan  that  can  be  adopted 
with  a  horse  in  the  habit  of  moving  away  to  one  side  is  to 
stand  him  against  a  low  wall  or  paling,  or  alongside  another 
horse.  A  quiet,  well-trained  horse  may  stand  as  firm  as  one 
of  the  British  squares  at  Waterloo,  or  *' the  thin  red  line" 
at  Balaclava,  for  times  without  number,  but  from  some  un- 
foreseen alarm  may  suddenly  start  aside.  The  spring  and  lift 
must  go  together,  or  the  lady  may,  like  Mahomet's  coffin, 
find  herself  hanging  midway.  Practice  alone  can  teach  the 
art  of  mounting  lightly  and  gracefully,  and  to  an  active 
person  there  is  no  difficulty. 

There  is  yet  another  method  of  mounting  which  requires 
considerably  more  practice — doing  away  with  the  services 
of  a  mounter, — and  that  is  for  the  lady  to  mount  herself.  In 
these  days,  when  so  many  ladies  practise  gymnastics  and 
athletic  exercises  generally,  there  ought  to  be  no  difficulty 
in  acquiring  this  useful  habit.  The  stirrup  is  let  out  till  it 
reaches  to  about  a  foot  from  the  ground,  the  pommel  is 
grasped  with  the  right  hand,  and  with  a  spring  the  rider 
is  in  her  seat.  The  stirrup  is  then  adjusted  to  its  proper 
length.  Unless  the  horse  be  very  quiet  the  groom  must 
stand  at  his  head  during  this  process  of  mounting. 

Mounting  from  a  chair  or  a  pair  of  steps  is  certainly  not 
an  accomplishment  I  should  recommend  ladies  to  indulge 
in ;  still,  there  are  occasions  when  the  friendly  aid  of  a  low 
wall,  a  stile,  the  bar  of  a  gate,  or  even  a  wheelbarrow,  comes 
handy.  In  such  a  predicament,  take  the  bridoon  across  the 
palm  of  the  left  hand,  and  drawing  the  bit  rein  through  on 
each  side  of  the  little  or  third  finger  till  the  horse's  mouth  be 
felt,  place  the  right  foot  in  the  stirrup,  grasp  the  leaping-head 
with  the  left  and  the  upright  pommel  with  the  right  hand, 


now  TO  MOUNT. 


19 


and  spring  into  the  saddle,  turning  round,  left  about,  in  sq 
doing.  When  in  the  saddle,  disengage  the  right  foot  from 
the  stirrup  and  throw  the  right  leg  over  the  upright  head.. 


MOUNTING — SECOND   POSITION. 


When  the  lady  is  in  the  saddle,  that  is,  seated  on  it,  not  in 
riding  position  but  before  throwing  her  right  leg  over  the 
crutch,  the  groom,  without  releasing  the  hold  of  her  foot 
altogether,  adjusts  the  folds  of  the  habit,  care  being  taken 
that  there  is  no  crease  or  fold  between  the  right  knee  and 


20  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


the  saddle.  This,  in  the  case  of  a  Zenith,  is  a  matter 
speedily  arranged,  and,  the  adjustment  being  to  her  satisfac- 
tion, she  at  once  pivots  on  the  centre,  and  raises  her  right 
leg  into  its  place  over  the  crutch.  The  foot  is  then  placed  in 
the  stirrup.  When  a  good  seat  has  been  acquired,  and  the 
rider  does  not  encumber  herself  with  needless  underclothing, 
this  arrangement  of  habit  had  best  be  deferred  till  the  horse 
is  in  motion ;  she  can  then  raise  herself  in  the  saddle  by 
straightening  the  left  knee,  and,  drawing  herself  forward  by 
grasping  the  pommel  with  the  right  hand,  arrange  the 
folds  to  her  entire  satisfaction  with  the  left. 

Attention  must  be  paid  to  the  length  of  the  stirrup,  for  on 
it  depends  greatly  the  steadiness  of  the  seat.  Many  ladies 
are  seen  riding  with  a  short  stirrup ;  but  this  is  an  error,  for  it 
destroys  the  balance,  without  which  there  can  be  no  elegance, 
invariably  causes  actual  cramp  and  gives  a  cramped  appear- 
ance, forces  the  rider  out  of  the  centre  of  the  saddle,  so 
that  the  weight  on  the  horse's  back  is  unevenly  distributed, 
and  displays  too  much  daylight  when  rising  in  the  trot.  On 
the  other  hand,  too  long  a  stirrup  is  equally  objectionable,  as 
it  causes  the  body  to  lean  unduly  over  to  the  near  side  in 
order  to  retain  hold  of  it,  depresses  and  throws  back  the 
left  shoulder,  and  destroys  the  squareness  of  position.  The 
length  of  stirrup  should  be  just  sufficient  that  the  rider,  by 
leaning  her  right  hand  on  the  pommel,  can,  without  any 
strain  on  the  instep,  raise  herself  clear  of  the  saddle ;  this 
implies  that  the  knee  will  be  only  bent  sufficiently  to  main- 
tain the  upward  pressure  of  the  knee  against  the  concave 
leaping-head.  The  stirrup  is  intended  as  a  support  to  the 
foot,  not  as  an  appiii  to  ride  from ;  it  is  not  intended  to 
sustain  the  full  weight  of  the  body,  and  when  so  misapplied 
is  certain  to  establish  a  sore  back.  I  am  strongly  of  opinion 
that  to  be  in  all  respects  perfect  in  the  equestrian  art,  a 


now  TO  MOUNT.  21 


lady  should  learn,  in  the  first  instance,  to  ride  without 
a  stirrup,  so  as,  under  any  circumstances  that  may  arise, 
to  be  able  to  do  without  this  appendage.  Those  who 
aspire  to  honours  in  the  hunting-field  certainly  should  ac- 
custom themselves  to  dispense  with  the  stirrup,  as  by  so 
doing  they  will  acquire  a  closer  and  firmer  seat ;  moreover, 
its  absence  teaches  the  beginner,  better  than  any  other 
method,  to  ride  from  balance,  which  is  the  easiest  and  best 
form  of  equitation  for  both  horse  and  rider.  Many  horse- 
women are  under  the  impression  that  it  is  impossible  to  rise 
without  the  aid  of  the  stirrup,  but  that  such  is  not  the  case 
a  course  of  stirrupless  training  will  soon  prove.  I  do  not 
suggest  that  riding  thus  should  be  made  a  habit,  but  only 
strenuously  advocate  its  practice. 

A  very  general  fault,  and  an  extremely  ugly  one  among 
lady  riders,  is  the  habit  of  sticking  out  the  right  foot  in  front 
of  the  saddle.  It  is  not  only  unsightly,  but  loosens  the  hold, 
for  if  the  toe  be  stuck  out  under  the  habit  like  a  flying  jib- 
boom,  the  leg  becomes  the  bowsprit,  and  it  is  impossible 
for  a  straightened  leg  to  grip  the  crutch.  Bend  the  knee 
well,  keep  the  toe  slightly  down,  and  this  ugly  habit  is  beyond 
the  pale  of  possibility.  This  ungraceful  posture  may  be 
caused  by  the  pommels  being  placed  so  near  together  that 
there  is  not  sufficient  room  for  the  leg  to  lie  and  bend  easily, 
but  this  excuse  will  not  hold  good  in  the  case  of  the 
straight-seat-safety-side-saddle,  for  it  has  only  one  pommel 
or  crutch  and  one  leaping-head. 

Having  got  the  lady  into  her  saddle,  we  next  attempt  so 
to  instruct  her  that  it  may  be  remarked —   - 

"The  rider  sat  erect  and  fair."' — ScoTT, 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


The  Seat. 

Hitherto,  during  the  process  of  mounting  and  settling  her- 
self comfortably,  the  reins  have  been  in  the  rider's  right  hand. 
Now  that  women  can  sit  square  and  look  straight  out  and 
over  their  horses'  ears,  much  more  latitude  is  permitted  in 


MOUNTED— ^NEAR   SIDE. 


the  hold  of  the  reins.  It  is  no  longer  essential  to  hold  them 
only  in  the  left  hand,  for  as  often  as  not — always  in  hunting 
or  at  a  hand-gallop — both  hands  are  on  the  bridle.  But,  as 
a  rule,  the  left  should  be  the  bridle  hand,  for  if  the  reins  be 
held  in  the  right,  and  the  horse,  as  horses  often  will,  gets  his 


THE  SEAT.  23 


head  down  or  bores,  the  right  shoulder  is  drawn  forward,  and 
the  left  knee,  as  a  matter  of  course,  being  drawn  back  from 
under,  loses  its  upward  pressure  against  the  leaping-head, 
and  the  safety  of  the  seat  is  jeopardized.  Were  the  rein  to 
give  way  the  rider  would  probably  fall  backwards  off  the 
horse  over  his  off-quarter.  On  the  other  hand,  when  the 
reins  are  all  gathered  into  the  left  hand,  the  harder  the 
horse  may  take  the  bit  in  his  teeth,  and  the  lower  he  may 
carry  his  head,  the  firmer  must  be  the  grip  of  the  crutch 
and  the  greater  the  pressure  against  the  leaping-head. 

As  the  reins  must  not  be  gathered  up  all  in  a  bunch,  I  give 
the  following  directions  for  placing  them  in  the  hand.  If 
riding  with  a  snaffle,  as  always  should  be  the  case  with 
beginners,  the  reins  ought  to  be  separated,  passing  into  the 
hands  between  the  third  and  fourth  fingers,  and  out  over  the 
fore  or  index-finger,  where  they  are  held  by  the  thumb.  In 
the  case  of  bit  and  bridoon  (the  bridoon  rein  has  generally 
a  buckle  where  it  joins,  whereas  that  of  the  bit  is  stitched), 
take  up  the  bridoon  rein  across  the  inside  of  the  hand,  and 
draw  the  bit  rein  through  the  hand  on  each  side  of  the  little 
or  third  finger  until  the  mouth  of  the  horse  be  gently  felt ; 
turn  the  remainder  of  the  rein  along  the  inside  of  the  hand, 
and  let  it  fall  over  the  forefinger  on  to  the  off-side ;  place 
the  bridoon  rein  upon  those  of  the  bit,  and  close  the  thumb 
upon  them  all. 

A  second  plan  equally  good  is,  when  the  horse  is  to  be 
ridden  mainly  on  the  bridoon  :  the  bridoon  rein  is  taken 
up  by  the  right  hand  and  drawn  flatly  through  on  each  side 
of  the  second  finger  of  the  bridle-hand,  till  the  horse's 
mouth  can  be  felt,  when  it  is  turned  over  the  first  joint 
of  the  forefinger  on  to  the  off-side.  The  bit  rein  is  next 
taken  up  and  drawn  through  on  each  side  of  the  little 
finger  of  the  bridle-hand,  till  there  is  an  equal,  or  nearly 


24  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


equal,  length  and  feeling  with  the  bridoon,  and  then  laid 
smoothly  over  the  bridoon  rein,  with  the  thumb  firmly  placed 
as  a  stopper  upon  both,  to  keep  them  from  slipping.  A 
slight  pressure  of  the  little  finger  will  bring  the  bit  into  play. 

Thirdly,  when  the  control  is  to  be  entirely  from  the  bit  or 
curb ;  the  bit  rein  is  taken  up  by  the  stitching  by  the  right 
hand  within  the  bridoon  rein,  and  drawn  through  on  each 
side  of  the  little  finger  of  the  left  or  bridle-hand,  until  there 
is  a  light  and  even  feel  on  the  horse's  mouth ;  it  is  then 
turned  over  the  first  joint  of  the  forefinger  on  the  off-side. 
The  bridoon  rein  is  next  taken  up  by  the  buckle,  under  the 
left  hand,  and  laid  smoothly  over  the  left  bit  rein,  leaving  it 
sufficiently  loose  to  hang  over  each  side  of  the  horse's  neck. 
The  thumb  is  then  placed  firmly  on  both  reins,  as  above. 

These  different  manipulations  of  the  reins  may  be  con- 
veniently practised  at  home  with  reins  attached  to  an  elastic 
band,  the  spring  of  the  band  answering  to  the  "  feel "  on  the 
horse's  mouth.  But,  in  addition  to  these  various  systems  of 
taking  up  the  reins,  much  has  to  be  learnt  in  the  direction  of 
separating,  shortening,  shifting,  and  so  forth.  With  novices 
the  reins  constantly  and  imperceptibly  slip,  in  which  case, 
the  ends  of  the  reins  hanging  over  the  forefinger  of  the 
bridle-hand  are  taken  altogether  into  the  right,  the  right 
hand  feels  the  horse's  head,  while  the  loosened  fingers  of  the 
bridle-hand  are  run  up  or  down  the  reins,  as  required,  till 
they  are  again  adjusted  to  the  proper  length,  when  the  fingers 
once  more  close  on  them. 

In  shifting  reins  to  the  right  hand,  to  relieve  cramp  of 
the  fingers,  and  so  forth,  the  right  hand  must  always  pass 
over  the  left,  and  in  replacing  them  the  left  hand  must  be 
placed  over  the  right.  In  order  to  shorten  any  one  rein, 
the  right  hand  is  used  to  pull  on  that  part  which  hangs 
beyond  the  thumb  and  forefinger.     When  a  horse  refuses 


Tim  SEAT.  2 


-D 


obedience  to  the  bridle-hand,  it  must  be  reinforced  by  the 
right.  The  three  first  fingers  of  the  right  are  placed  over 
the  bridoon  rein,  so  that  the  rein  passes  between  the  Httle 
and  third  fingers,  the  end  is  then  turned  over  the  forefinger 
and,  as  usual,  the  thumb  is  placed  upon  it.  Expertness  in 
these  "permutations  and  combinations  "  is  only  to  be  arrived 
at  by  constant  practice.  They  must  be  performed  without 
stopping  the  horse,  altering  his  pace,  or  even  glancing  at 
the  hands. 

The  reins  must  not  be  held  too  loose,  but  tight  enough 
to  keep  touch  of  the  horse's  mouth;  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  there  must  be  no  attempt  to  hold  on  by  the  bridle, 
or  what  is  termed  to  "ride  in  the  horse's  mouth."  A 
short  rein  is  objectionable ;  there  must  be  no  '^  extension 
motions,"  no  reaching  out  for  a  short  hold.  The  proper 
position  for  the  bridle-hand  is  immediately  opposite  the 
centre  of  the  waist,  and  about  three  or  four  inches  from  it, 
that  is,  on  a  level  with  the  elbow,  and  about  three  or  four 
inches  away  from  the  body.  The  elbow  must  neither  be 
squeezed  or  trussed  too  tightly  to  the  side,  nor  thrust  out 
too  far,  but  carried  easily,  inclining  a  little  from  the  body. 
According  to  strict  manege  canons,  the  thumb  should  be 
uppermost,  and  the  lower  part  of  the  hand  nearer  the 
waist  than  the  upper,  the  wrist  a  little  rounded,  and  the 
little  finger  in  a  line  with  the  elbow.  A  wholesome  laxity 
in  conforming  to  these  hard-and-fast  rules  will  be  found  to 
add  to  the  grace  of  the  rider.  Chaqtie  pays  chaqiie  guise,  and 
no  two  horses  are  alike  in  the  carriage  of  the  head,  the 
sensitiveness  of  the  mouth,  and  in  action.^  Like  ourselves, 
they  all  have  their  own  pecufiarities. 


o 

1—1 

H 
O 

< 


o 

O 

o 


< 


O 
t— I 


THE    WALK.  27 


The  Walk. 

The  rider  is  now  seated  on  what — in  the  case  of  a  begin- 
ner— should  be  an  absolutely  quiet,  good-tempered,  and 
perfectly  trained  horse.  Before  schooling  her  as  to  seat, 
we  will  ask  her  to  move  forward  at  the  walk.  At  first  it 
is  better  to  have  the  horse  led  by  a  leading  rein  till  the 
debutante  is  accustomed  to  the  motion  and  acquires  some 
stock  of  confidence.  She  must  banish  from  her  mind  all 
thoughts  of  tumbling  off.  We  do  not  instruct  after  this 
fashion : — Lady  (after  having  taken  several  lessons  at  two 
guineas  a  dozen)  loq. :  "Well,  Mr.  Pummell,  have  I  made 
any  good  progress?"  "Well,  I  can't  say,  ma'am,"  replies 
the  instructor,  "  as  'ow  you  rides  werry  well  as  yet,  but  you 
falls  off,  ma'am,  a  deal  more  gracefuller  as  wot  you  did 
at  first."  We  do  not  say  that  falls  must  not  be  expected, 
but  in  mere  hack  and  park  riding  they  certainly  ought  to 
be  few  and  far  between.  At  a  steady  and  even  fast  walk 
the  merest  tyro  cannot,  unless  bent  on  experiencing  the 
sensation  of  a  tumble,  possibly  come  to  the  ground.  Doubt- 
less the  motion  is  passing  strange  at  first,  and  the  beginner 
may  be  tempted  to  clutch  nervously  at  the  pommel  of  her 
saddle,  a  very  bad  and  unsightly  habit,  and  one  that,  if  not 
checked  from  the  very  first,  grows  apace  and  remains. 

It  is  during  the  walk  that  the  seat  is  formed,  and  the 
rider  makes  herself  practically  acquainted  with  the  rules 
laid  down  on  the  handling  of  the  reins.  A  press  of  the  left 
leg,  a  light  touch  of  the  whip  on  the  off-side,  and  a  "  klk  " 
will  promptly  put  the  horse  in  motion.  He  may  toss  his 
head,  and  for  a  pace  or  two  become  somewhat  unsteady ; 
this  is  not  vice  but  mere  freshness,  and  he  will  almost  im- 
mediately settle  down  into  a  quick,  sprightly  step,  measuring 


O 


o 

o 
P4 


S5 

o 

fcr-< 
H 

K 

O 
I— I 


y^  -     >  ^     i/       V-,  N\  A    •  ' 


-/  •  .^J  \ 


THE    WALK.  29 


each  pace  exactly,  and  marking  regular  cadence,  the  knee 
moderately  bent,  the  leg,  in  the  case  of  what  Paddy  terms 
''a  flippant  shtepper,"  being  sharply  caught  up,  appearing 
suspended  in  the  air  for  a  second,  and  the  foot  brought 
smartly  and  firmly,  without  jar,  to  the  ground.  This  is  the 
perfection  of  a  walking  pace.  By  degrees  any  nervousness 
wears  off,  the  rigid  trussed  appearance  gives  place  to  one 
of  pliancy  and  comparative  security,  the  body  loses  its 
constrained  stiffness,  and  begins  to  conform  to  and  sway 
with  the  movements  of  the  horse.  The  rider,  sitting  per- 
fectly straight  and  erect,  approaches  the  correct  position, 
and  lays  the  foundation  of  that  ease  and  bearing  which  are 
absolutely  indispensable. 

After  a  lesson  or  two,  if  not  of  the  too-timid  order,  the 
lady  will  find  herself  sitting  just  so  far  forward  in  the 
saddle  as  is  consistent  with  perfect  ease  and  comfort,  and 
with  the  full  power  to  grasp  the  upright  crutch  firmly  with 
her  right  knee ;  she  will  be  aware  of  the  friendly  grip  of 
the  leaping-head  over  her  left  leg ;  the  weight  of  her  body 
will  fall  exactly  on  the  centre  of  the  saddle;  her  head, 
though  erect,  will  be  perfectly  free  from  constraint,  the 
shoulders  well  squared,  and  the  hollow  of  the  back  grace- 
fully bent  in,  as  in  waltzing.  This  graceful  pose  of  the 
figure  may  be  readily  acquired,  throughout  the  prelimi- 
nary lessons,  and  indeed  on  all  occasions  when  under 
tuition,^by  passing  the  right  arm  behind  the  waist,  back  of 
the  hand  to  the  body,  and  riding  with  it  in  that  position. 
Another  good  plan,  which  can  only  be  practised  in  the 
riding-school  or  in  some  out-of-the-way  quiet  corner,  and 
then  only  on  a  very  steady  horse,  is  for  the  beginner,  with- 
out relaxing  her  grip  on  the  crutch  and  the  pressure  on  the 
leaping-head,  as  she  sits,  to  lean  or  recline  back  so  that  her 
two  shoulder-blades  touch  the  hip-boneg  of  the  horse,  re- 


30  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


covering  herself  and  regaining  her  upright  position  without 
the  aid  of  the  reins.  The  oftener  this  gymnastic  exercise 
is  performed  the  better. 

At  intervals  during  the  lessons  she  should  also,  having 
dropped  her  bridle,  assiduously  practise  the  extension  mo- 
tions performed  by  recruits  in  our  military-riding  schools. 
\See  Appendix.']  The  excellent  effects  of  this  physical 
training  will  soon  be  appreciated.  But,  irrespective  of  the 
accuracy  of  seat,  suppleness  and  strength  of  limb,  confi- 
dence and  readiness  these  athletic  exercises  beget,  they 
may,  when  least  expected,  save  the  rider's  life.  Some  of 
those  for  whose  instruction  I  have  the  honour  to  write,  may 
find  themselves  placed  in  a  critical  situation,  when  the 
ability  to  lie  back  or  "duck"  may  save  them  from  a 
fractured  skull. 

Inclining  the  body  forward  is,  from  the  notion  that  it 
tends  towards  security,  a  fault  very  general  with  timid 
riders..  Nothing,  however,  in  the  direction  of  safety,  is 
further  from  the  fact.  Should  the  horse,  after  a  visit  to  the 
farrier  and  the  usual  senseless  free  use  of  the  smith's  draw- 
ing and  paring-knife,  tread  upon  a  rolling  stone  and  "peck," 
the  lady,  leaning  forward,  is  suddenly  thrown  still  further 
forward,  her  whole  weight  is  cast  upon  his  shoulders,  so  he 
"of  the  tender  foot"  comes  down  and  sends  his  rider  flying 
over  his  head.  A  stoop  in  the  figure  is  wanting  in  smart- 
ness, and  is  unattractive. 

It  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  see  ladies  sitting  on  their 
horses  in  the  form  of  the  letter  S,  and  the  effect  can  hardly 
be  described  as  charming.  This  inelegant  position,  assumed 
by  the  lady  in  the  distance,  is  caused  by  being  placed  too 
much  over  to  the  right  in  the  saddle,  owing  to  a  too  short 
stirrup.  In  attempting  to  preserve  the  balance,  the  body 
from  the  waist  upwards  has  a  strong  twisted  lean-over  to 


^3/;  ^ 


X 


o 


Q 

< 

a 
o 

I 

►J 
<: 
> 

l-H 

H 

?^ 

J?; 


32 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


the  left,  the  neck,  to  counteract  this  lateral  contortion  of 
the  spine,  being  bent  over  to  the  right,  the  whole  pose 
conveying  the  impression  that  the  rider  must  be  a  cripple 
braced  up  in  surgeon's  irons  and  other  appliances.  Not 
less  hideous,  and  equally  prevalent,  is  the  habit  of  sitting 
too  much  to  the  left,  and  leaning  over  in  that  direction 
several  degrees  out  of  the  perpendicular.  A  novice  is  apt 
to  contract  this  leaning-seat  from  the  apprehension,  existing 
in  the  mind  of  timid  riders,  that  they  must  fall  off  from 
the  off  rather  than  from  the  near  side,  so  they  incline  away 
from  the  supposed  danger.  Too  long  a  stirrup  is  sometimes 
answerable  for  this  crab-like  posture.  In  both  of  these 
awkward  postures,  the  seat  becomes  insecure,  and  the  due 
exercise  of  the  "  aids  "  impossible.  What  is  understood  by 
"  aids  "  in  the  language  of  the  schools  are  the  motions  and 
proper  application  of  the  bridle-hand,  leg,  and  heel  to 
control  and  direct  the  turnings  and  paces  of  the  horse. 

The  expression  "riding  by  balance"  has  been  frequently 
used,  and  as  it  is  the  essence  of  good  horsemanship,  I 
describe  it  in  the  words  of  an  expert  as  consisting  in  "  a 
foreknowledge  of  what  direction  any  given  motion  of  the 
horse  would  throw  the  body,  and  a  ready  adaptation  of  the 
whole  frame  to  the  proper  position,  before  the  horse  has 
completed  his  change  of  attitude  or  action;  it  is  that 
disposition  of  the  person,  in  accordance  with  the  movements 
of  the  horse,  which  preserves  it  from  an  improper  inclina- 
tion to  one  side  or  the  other,  which  even  the  ordinary  paces 
of  the  horse  in  the  trot  or  gallop  will  occasion."  In  brief, 
it  is  the  automatic  inclination  of  the  person  of  the  rider 
to  the  body  of  the  horse  by  which  the  equilibrium  is 
maintained. 

The  rider  having  to  some  extent  perfected  herself  in 
walking  straight  forward,  inclining  and  turning  to  the  right 


THE    TROT.  33 

and  to  the  right  about,  and  in  executing  the  same  move- 
ments to  the  left,  on  all  of  which  I  shall  have  a  few  words 
to  say  later,  and  when  she  can  halt,  rein  back,  and  is  generally 
handy  with  her  horse  at  the  walk,  she  may  attempt  a  slow 
Trot,  and  here  her  sorrows  may  be  said  to  begin. 

The  Trot. 

In  this  useful  but  trying  pace  the  lady  must  sit  well  down 
on  her  saddle,  rising  and  falling  in  unison  with  the  action 
of  the  horse,  springing  lightly  but  not  too  highly  by  the 
action  of  the  horse  coupled  with  the  flexibility  of  the  instep 
and  the  knee.  As  the  horse  breaks  from  the  walk  into  the 
faster  pace,  it  is  best  not  to  attempt  to  rise  from  the  saddle 
till  he  has  fairly  settled  down  to  his  trot — better  for  a  few 
paces  to  sit  back,  somewhat  loosely,  and  bump  the  saddle. 
The  rise  from  the  saddle  is  to  be  made  as  perpendicularly 
as  possible,  though  a  slight  forward  inclination  of  the  body 
from  the  loins,  but  not  with  roached-back,  may  be  permitted, 
and  only  just  so  high  as  to  prevent  the  jar  that  ensues  from 
the  movements  of  the  rider  with  the  horse  not  being  in 
unison.  The  return  of  the  body  to  the  saddle  must  be 
quiet^  light,  and  unlaboured.  Here  it  is  that  the  practice 
without  a  stirrup  will  stand  the  novice  in  good  stead. 

This  pace  is  the  most  difficult  of  all  to  ladies,  and  few  there 
be  that  attain  the  art  of  sitting  square  and  gracefully  at  this 
gait,  and  who  rise  and  fall  in  the  saddle  seemingly  without 
an  effort  and  without  riding  too  much  in  the  horse's  mouth. 
Most  women  raise  themselves  by  holding  on  to  the  bridle. 
Instead  of  rising  to  the  right,  so  that  they  can  glance  down 
the  horse's  shoulder,  and  descending  to  left,  and  thus  regain 
the  centre  of  the  saddle,  they  persist  in  rising  over  the 
horse's  left  shoulder,  and  come  back  on  to  the  saddle  in 

D 


THE    TROT.  35 


the  direction  of  his  off-quarter.  This  twist  of  the  body  to 
the  left  destroys  the  purchase  of  the  foot  and  knee,  and 
unsteadies  the  position  and  hands.  Though  I  have  sanc- 
tioned a  sHght  leaning  forward  as  the  horse  breaks  into  his 
trot,  it  must  not  be  overdone,  for  should  he  suddenly  throw 
up  his  head  his  poll  may  come  in  violent  contact  with  the 
rider's  face  and  forehead,  causing  a  blow  that  may  spoil  her 
beauty,  if  not  knock  her  senseless. 

\  Till  the  rider  can  hit  off  the  secret  of  rising,  she  will  be 
severely  shaken  up — ^'churned  "  as  a  well-known  horsewoman 
describes  the  jiggiddy-joggoddy  motion, — the  teeth  feel  as  if 
they  would  be  shaken  out  of  their  sockets,  and  stitch-in-the- 
side  puts  in  its  unwelcome  appearance.  Certes,  the  pre- 
liminary lessons  are  very  trying  ones,  the  disarrangement  of 
''the  get-up"  too  awful,  the  fatigue  dreadful,  the  alarm  no 
trifle.  Nothing  seems  easier,  and  yet  nothing  in  the  art 
equestrian  is  so  difficult — not  to  men  with  their  two  stirrups, 
but  to  women  with  one  only  available.  AVhat  is  more 
grotesque,  ridiculous,  and  disagreeable  than  a  rider  rising 
and  faUing  in  the  saddle  at  a  greater  and  lesser  speed  than 
that  of  her  horse  ?  And  yet,  fair  reader,  if  you  will  have 
a  little  patience,  a  good  deal  of  perseverance,  some  de- 
termination, and  will  attend  to  the  hints  I  give,  you  shall, 
in  due  course,  be  mistress  over  the  difficulty,  and  rise  and 
fall  with  perfect  ease  and  exquisite  grace,  free  from  all 
emharras  or  undue  fatigue. 

First  of  all,  we  must  put  you  on  a  very  smooth,  easy,  and 
sedate  trotter ;  by-and-by  we  may  transfer  your  saddle  to 
something  more  sharp  and  lively,  perhaps  even  indulge  you 
with  a  mount  on  a  regular  "bone-setter."  To  commence 
with,  the  lessons,  or  rather  trotting  bouts,  shall  be  short, 
there  shall  be  frequent  halts,  and  during  these  halts  I  shall 
make  you  drop  your  reins  and  put  you  through  extension 


36  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

and  balance  motions,  endeavour  to  correct  your  position 
on  the  saddle,  catechize  you  closely  on  the  "  aids,"  and 
introduce  as  much  variety  as  possible. 

Before  urging  your  steed  into  his  wild  six  or  seven-mile- 
an-hour  career,  please  bear  in  mind  that  you  must  not  rise 
suddenly,  or  with  a  jerk,  but  quietly  and  smoothly,  letting 
the  impetus  come  from  the  motion  of  the  horse.  The 
rise  from  the  saddle  must  not  be  initiated  by  a  long  pull 
and  strong  pull  at  his  mouth,  a  spasmodic  grip  of  your 
right  leg  on  the  crutch,  or  a  violent  attempt  to  raise 
yourself  in  the  air  from  your  stirrup.  The  horse  will  not 
accommodate  his  action  to  yours,  you  must  "  take  him  on  the 
hop,"  as  the  saying  is.  If  horse  and  rider  go  disjointly,  or 
you  do  not  harmonize  your  movements  with  his,  then  it  is 
something  as  unpleasant  as  dancing  a  waltz  with  a  partner 
who  won't  keep  time,  or  rowing  ''  spoonful  about." 

Falling  in  with  the  trot  of  a  horse  is  at  first  very  difficult. 
In  order  to  faciHtate  matters  as  much  as  possible,  you  shall, 
for  a  few  days,  substitute  the  old-fashioned  slipper  for  the 
stirrup,  as  then  the  spring  will  come  from  the  toes  and  not 
from  the  hollow  of  the  foot ;  this  will  lessen  the  exertion 
and  be  easier.  If  nature  has  happened  to  fashion  you  some- 
what short  from  the  hip  to  the  knee,  and  you  will  attend  to 
instruction  and  practice  frequently,  the  chances  are  strong  in 
your  favour  of  conquering  the  irksome  "  cross-jolt."  Sepa- 
rate your  reins,  taking  one  in  each  hand,  feeling  the  mouth 
equally  with  both  reins,  sit  well  down  lOn  your  saddle,  keep 
your  left  foot  pointed  straight  to  the  front,  don't  attempt  to 
move  till  the  horse  has  steadied  into  his  trot,  which,  in  case 
of  a  well  trained  animal,  will  be  in  a  stride  or  two,  then  en- 
deavour, obeying  the  impulse  of  his  movement,  to  time  the 
rise. 

A   really   perfectly   broken    horse,    "  supplied    on    both 


THE   TROT.  37 


hands,"  as  it  is  termed,  leads,  in  the  trot  as  in  the  canter, 
equally  well  with  either  leg,  but,  in  both  paces,  a  very 
large  majority  have  a  favourite  leading  leg.  By  glanc- 
ing over  the  right  shoulder  the  time  for  the  rise  may  be 
taken.  Do  not  be  disheartened  by  repeated  failures  to 
"catch  on;"  persevere,  and  suddenly  you  will  hit  it  off. 
When  the  least  fatigued,  pull  up  into  a  walk,  and  when 
rested  have  another  try.  At  the  risk  of  repetition,  I  agam 
impress  on  you  the  necessity  of  keeping  the  toe  jof  the  left 
foot  pointed  to  the  front,  the  foot  itself  back,  and  with  the 
heel  depressed.  Your  descent  into  the  saddle  should  be 
such  that  any  one  you  may  be  riding  straight  at,  shall  see  a 
part  of  your  right  shoulder  and  hip  as  they  rise  and  fall,  his 
line  of  vision  being  directed  along  the  off-side  of  the  horse's 
neck.  When  these  two  portions  of  your  body  are  so  visible 
then  the  weight  is  in  its  proper  place,  and  there  is  no  fear  of 
the  saddle  being  dragged  over  the  horse's  near  shoulder.  For 
a  few  strides  there  is  no  objection  to  your  taking  a  light  hold 
of  the  pommel  with  the  right  hand,  in  order  to  time  the  rise, 
but  the  moment  the  "  cross-jolt"  ceases,  and  you  find  your- 
self moving  in  unison  with  the  horse,  the  hold  must  be  re- 
laxed. Some  difficulty  will  be  found  in  remaining  long 
enough  out  of  the  saddle  at  each  rise  to  avoid  descending 
too  soon,  and  thus  receive  a  double  cross-jolt ;  but  this  will 
be  overcome  after  a  few  attempts.  Keep  the  hands  well 
down  and  the  elbows  in. 

Varying  the  speed  in  the  trot  will  be  found  excellent 
practice  for  the  hands;  the  faster  a  horse  goes,  generally 
speaking,  the  easier  he  goes.  He  must  be  kept  going  "  well 
within  himself,"  that  is  he  must  not  be  urged  to  trot  at  a 
greater  speed  than  he  can  compass  with  true  and  equal 
action.  Some  very  fast  trotters,  "  daisy  cutters,"  go  with  so 
little  upward   jerk  that   it  is  almost  impossible  to  rise   on 


38 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


them  at  all.  Any  attempt  at  half-cantering  with  his  hind 
legs  must  be  at  once  checked  by  pulling  him  together,  and, 
by  slowing  him  down,  getting  him  back  into  collected  form. 
Should  he  "break"  badly,  from  being  over-paced,  into  a 
canter  or  hard-gallop,  then  rein  him  in,  pulling  up,  if  need 


THE   TROT, 


be,  into  a  walk,  chiding  him  at  the  same  time.  When  he 
again  brings  his  head  in  and  begins  to  step  clean,  light,  and 
evenly,  then  let  him  resume  his  trot.  If  not  going  up  to 
his  bit  and  hanging  heavy  on  the  hand,  move  the  bit  in  his 
mouth,  let  him  feel  the  leg,  and  talk  to  him.     Like  our- 


7IIE   CANTER.  39 


selves,  horses  are  not  up  to  the  mark  every  day,  and  though 
they  do  not  go  to  heated  theatres  and  crowded  ball-rooms, 
or  indulge  as  some  of  their  masters  and  mistresses  are  said 
to  do,  they  too  often  spend  twenty  hours  or  more  out  of 
the  twenty-four  in  the  vitiated  atmosphere  of  a  hot,  badly 
ventilated  stable,  and  their  insides  are  converted  into  apothe- 
caries' shops  by  ignorant  doctoring  grooms.  When  a  free 
horse  does  not  face  his  bit,  he  is  either  fatigued  or  some- 
thing is  amiss. 

The  Canter. 

Properly  speaking,  this  being, /«?/-  excellence,  the  lady's  pace, 
the  instruction  should  precede  that  of  the  trot.  The  com- 
parative ease  of  the  canter,  and  the  readiness  with  which  the 
average  pupil  takes  to  it,  induces  the  beginner  to  at  once 
indulge  in  it.  It  is,  on  a  thoroughly  trained  horse,  so  agree- 
able that  the  uninitiated  at  once  acquire  confidence  on 
horseback.  Moreover,  it  is  the  pace  at  which  a  fine  figure 
and  elegant  lady-like  bearing  is  most  conspicuously  dis- 
played, and  for  this,  if  for  no  other  reason,  the  pupil  applies 
lierself  earnestly — shall  I  say  lovingly  ? — to  perfect  herself 
in  this  delightful  feature  of  the  art.  On  a  light-actioned 
horse,  one  moving  as  it  were  on  springs,  going  well  on  his 
haunches,  and  well  up  to  his  bit,  the  motion  is  as  easy  as 
that  of  a  rocking-chair.  All  the  rider  has  to  do  is  to  sit 
back,  keep  ^the  body  quite  flexible  and  in  the  centre  of 
the  saddle,  preserve  the  balance,  and,  with  pressure  from  the 
left  leg  and  heel,  and  a  touch  of  the  whip,  keep  him  up  to 
his  bit.  She  will  imperceptibly  leave  ihe  saddle  at  every 
stride,  which,  in  a  slow  measured  canter,  will  be  reduced 
to  a  sort  of  rubbing  motion,  just  sufficient  to  ease  the  slight 
jolt  caused  by  the  action  of  the  haunches  and  hind  legs. 

Many  park-horses  and  ladies'  hacks  are  trained  to  spring 


46  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

at  once,  without  breaking  into  a  run  or  trot,  into  the  canter. 
All  the  rider  has  to  do  is  to  raise  the  hand  ever  so  little,  press 
him  with  the  leg,  touch  him  with  the  whip,  and  give  him  the 
unspellable  signal  "klk."  The  movement  or  sway  of  the 
body  should  follow  that  of  the  horse.  As  soon  as  he  is  in  his 
stride,  the  rider  throws  back  her  body  a  little,  and  places  her 
hand  in  a  suitable  position.  If  the  horse  carries  his  head  well, 
the  hand  ought  to  be  about  three  inches  from  the  pommel, 
and  at  an  equal  distance  from  the  body.  For  "  star-gazers  " 
it  should  be  lower  ;  and  for  borers  it  should  be  raised  higher. 
Once  properly  under  way  the  lady  will  study  that  almost 
imperceptible  willow-like  bend  of  the  back,  her  shoulders 
will  be  thrown  back  gracefully,  the  mere  suspicion  of  a 
swing  accommodating  itself  to  the  motion  of  the  horse  will 
come  from  the  pliant  waist,  and  she  will  yield  herself  just 
a  little  to  the  opposite  side  from  that  the  horse's  leading 
leg  is  on.  If  he  leads  with  the  off-foot,  he  inclines  a 
trifle  to  the  left,  and  the  rider's  body  and  hands  must  turn 
but  a  little  to  the  left  also,  and  vice  versa. 

It  is  the  rider's  province  to  direct  which  foot  the  horse 
shall  lead  with.  To  canter  with  the  left  fore  leg  leading,  the 
extra  bearing  will  be  upon  the  left  rein,  the  little  finger 
turned  up  towards  the  right  shoulder,  the  hint  from  the 
whip — a  mere  touch  should  suffice — being  on  the  right 
shoulder  or  flank.  It  is  essential  that  the  bearing  upon  the 
mouth,  a  light  playing  touch,  should  be  preserved  through- 
out the  whole  pace.  If  the  horse  should,  within  a  short 
distance — say  a  mile  or  so, — flag,  then  he  must  be  reminded 
by  gentle  application  of  the  whip.  He  cannot  canter 
truly  and  bear  himself  handsomely  unless  going  up  to  his 
bit.  The  rider  must  feel  the  cadence  of  every  pace,  and 
be  able  to  extend  or  shorten  the  stride  at  will.  It  is 
an  excellent   plan   to   change  the  leading  leg  frequently. 


THE   CANTER.  41 


SO  that  upon  any  disturbance  of  pace,  going  "false," 
or  change  of  direction,  the  rider  may  be  equal  to  the 
occasion.  The  lady  must  be  careful  that  the  bridle-arm 
does  not  acquire  the  ugly  habit  of  leaving  the  body  and  the 
elbow  of  being  stuck  out  of  it  akimbo.  All  the  movements 
of  the  hand  should  proceed  from  the  wrist,  the  bearings 
and  play  on  the  horse's  mouth  being  kept  up  by  the  little 
finger. 

Ladies  will  find  that  most  horses  are  trained  to  lead  entirely 
with  the  off  leg,  and  that  when,  from  any  disturbance  of 
pace,  they  are  forced  to  "  change  step  "  and  lead  with  the 
near  leg,  their  action  becomes  very  awkward  and  uneven. 
Hence  they  are  prone  to  regard  cantering  with  the  near  leg 
as  disagreeable.  But  when  they  come  to  use  their  own 
horses,  they  will  find  it  good  economy  to  teach  them  to 
change  the  leading  leg  constantly,  both  during  the  canter 
and  at  the  commencement  of  the  pace.  To  make  a  horse 
change  foot  in  his  canter,  if  he  cannot  be  got  readily  to  do 
so  by  hand,  leg,  and  heel,  turn  him  to  the  right,  as  if  to 
circle,  and  he  will  lead  with  the  off  foreleg,  and  by  repeat- 
ing the  same  make-believe  manoeuvre  to  the  left,  the  near 
fore  will  be  in  front.  The  beginner,  however,  had  better 
pull  up  into  the  walk  before  attempting  this  change.  When 
pulling  up  from  the  canter,  it  is  best  and  safest  to  let  the 
horse  drop  into  a  trot  for  a  few  paces  and  so  resume  the 
walk. 

■  There  is  no  better  course  of  tuition  by  which  to 
acquire  balance  than  the  various  inclinations  to  the  right 
and  left,  the  turns  to  the  right  and  left  and  to  the  right  and 
left-about  at  the  canter,  all  of  which,  with  the  exception  of 
the  full  turns,  should  be  performed  on  the  move  without 
halting.  In  the  turn-about,  it  is  necessary  to  bring  the  horse 
to  a  momentary  halt  before  the  turn  be  commenced,  and 


42  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

SO  soon  as  he  has  gone  about  and  the  turn  is  fully  completed, 
a  lift  of  the  hand  and  a  touch  of  the  leg  and  heel  should 
instanter  compel  him  to  move  forward  at  the  canter  in  the 
opposite  direction  ;  he  must  no  sooner  be  round  than  off. 
When  no  Riding-school   is  available,    one    constructed  of 
hurdles   closely  laced   with    gorse,  on   the   sheep-lambing 
principle,  will  answer  all  purposes.     Should  the  horse  be  at 
all  awkward  or  unsteady,  the  hurdles,  placed  one  on  the  top 
of  the  other  and  tied  to  uprights  driven  into  the  ground, 
closely  interlaced  with  the   gorse  so    that  he   cannot  see 
through  or   over  the  barrier,  will   form   a  perfect,   retired 
exercise   ground.     A  plentiful  surface  dressing  of   golden- 
peat-moss-litter  will   save   his  legs  and  feet.      In  a  quiet 
open   impromptu   school   of    this   description,   away   from 
*'  the  madding  crowd,"  I  have    schooled   young  horses   so 
that  they  would  canter  almost  on  their  own  ground,  circling 
round  a  bamboo  lance  shaft,  the  point  in  the  ground  and 
the  butt  in  my  right  hand,  without  changing  legs  or  altering 
pace,  and  they  would  describe  the  figure  eight  with  almost 
mathematical  precision,  changing  leg  at  every  turn  without 
any  "  aid  "  from  me,  a  mere  inchnation  of  the  body  bringing 
them  round  the  curves.      A  horse  very  handy  with  his  legs 
can  readily  change  them  at  the  corners  when  making  the 
full  right-angle  turn,  but  there  is  always  at  first  the  danger  of 
one  not  so  clever'  attempting  to  execute  the  turn  by  crossing 
the  leading  leg  over  the  supporting  one,  when  the  rider  will 
be  lucky  to  get  off  with  an  awkward  stumble — a  "  cropper  " 
will  most   likely  follow.      When    at    this   private   practice, 
''  make  much  of  your  horse  " — that  is,  caress  and  speak 
kindly  to  him,  when  he   does  well ;  in  fact,  the  more  he  is 
spoken  to  throughout  the  lesson,  the  better  for  both  parties. 
So  good  and  discriminating  is  a  horse's  ear  that  he  soon 
learns  to  appreciate  the  difference  between  kindly  approval 


THE   CANTER. 


43 


and  stern  censure.     A  sympathy  between  horse  and  rider  is 
soon  estabHshed,  and  such  freemasonry  is  delightful.  - 

Never  canter  on  the  high  road,  and  see  that  your 
groom  does  not  indulge  himself  by  so  doing.  On  elastic 
springy  turf  the  pace,  which  in  reality  is  a  series  of  short 
bounds,  if  not  continued  too  long  at  a  time,  does  no  great 


^>y/^ 


^yy. 


FREE   BUT   NOT    EASY. 


harm,  but  one  mile  on  a  hard,  unyielding  surface  causes  more 
wear-and-tear  of  joints,  shoulders,  and  frame  generally,  than 
a  long  day's  work  of  alternating  walk  and  trot  which,  on  the 
Queen's  highway,  are  the  proper  paces*.  There  is  no  ob- 
jection to  a  canter  when  a  bit  of  turf  is  found  on  the  road- 
side ;  and  the  little  drains  cut  to  lead  the  water  off  the  turn- 
pike into  the  ditch  serve  to  make  young  horses  handy  with 
their  legs. 


44  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


The  Hand-gallop  and  Gallop. 

The  rider  should  not  attempt  either  of  these  accelerated 
paces  till  quite  confident  that  she  has  the  horse  under  com- 
plete control.  As  the  hand-gallop  is  only  another  and 
quickened  form  of  the  canter,  in  which  the  stride  is  both 
lengthened  and  hastened,  or,  more  correctly  speaking,  in 
which  the  bounds  are  longer  and  faster,  the  same  rules  are 
applicable  to  both.  Many  horses,  especially  those  through 
whose  veins  strong  hot  blood  is  pulsing,  fairly  revel  in  the 
gallop,  and  if  allowed  to  gain  upon  the  hand,  will  soon  ex- 
tend the  hand-gallop  to  full-gallop,  and  that  rapid  pace  into 
a  runaway.  The  rider  must,  therefore,  always  keep  her 
horse  well  in  hand,  so  as  to  be  able  to  slacken  speed  should 
he  get  up  too  much  steam.  Some,  impatient  of  restraint, 
will  shake  their  heads,  snatch  at  their  bits,  and  yaw  about, 
"  fighting  for  their  heads,"  as  it  is  termed,  and  will  endeavour 
to  bore  and  get  their  heads  down. 

A  well-trained  horse,  one  such  as  a  beginner  should  ride, 
will  not  play  these  pranks  and  will  not  take  a  dead  pull  at 
the  rider's  hands;  on  the  contrary,  he  will  stride  along 
quite  collectedly,  keeping  his  head  in  its  proper  place, 
and  taking  just  sufficient  hold  to  make  things  pleasant. 
But  horses  with  perfect  mouths  and  manners  are,  like 
angels'  visits,  few  and  far  between,  and  are  eagerly  sought 
after  by  those  fortunate  beings  to  whom  money  is  no 
object.  To  be  on  the  safe  side,  the  rider  should  always 
be  on  the  alert  and  prepared  to  at  once  apply  the  brake. 
When  fairly  in  his  stride  and  going  comfortably,  the  rider, 
leaning  slightly  forward,  should,  with  both  hands  on  the 
bridle,  give  and  take  with  each  stroke,  playing  the  while 
with  the  curb ;  she  should  talk  cheerily  to  him,  but  the  least 


THE  HAND'GALLOP  AND    GALLOP,  45 

effort  on  his  part  to  gain  upon  the  hand  must  be  at  once 
checked.  The  play  of  the  Httle  fingers  on  the  curb  keeps 
his  mouth  aUve,  prevents  his  hanging  or  boring,  and  makes 
it  sensible  to  the  rider's  hand. 

*' Keeping  a  horse  in  hand"  means  that  there  is  such  a 
system  of  communication  established  between  the  rider 
and  the  quadruped  that  the  former  is  mistress  of  the  situa- 
tion, and  knows,  almost  before  the  horse  has  made  up  his 
mind  what  to  do,  what  is  coming.  This  keeping  in  hand 
is  one  of  the  secrets  of  fine  horsemanship,  and  it  especially 
suits  the  light-hearted  mercurial  sort  of  goer,  one  that  is 
always  more  or  less  off  the  ground  or  in  the  air,  one  of 
those  that  "  treads  so  light  he  scarcely  prints  the  plain." 

My  impression  is,  despite  the  numerous  bits  devised  and 
advertised  to  stop  runaways,  that  nothing  short  of  a  long  and 
steep  hill,  a  steam-cultivated,  stiff  clay  fallow,  or  the  Bog  of 
Allen,  will  stop  the  determined  bolt  of  a  self-willed,  callous- 
mouthed  horse.  There  is  no  use  pulling  at  him,  for  the 
more  you  pull  the  harder  he  hardens  his  heart  and  his  mouth. 
The  only  plan,  if  there  be  plenty  of  elbow  room,  is  to  let 
him  have  his  wicked  way  a  bit,  then,  with  one  mighty  con- 
centrated effort  to  give  a  sudden  snatch  at  the  bit,  followed 
by  instantly  and  rapidly  drawing,  "sawing,"  of  the  bridoon 
through  his  mouth.  Above  all,  keep  your  presence  of  mind, 
and  if  by  any  good  luck  you  can  so  pilot  the  brute  as  to  make 
him  face  an  ascent,  drive  him  up  it — if  it  be  as  steep  as  the 
roof  of  a  house,  so  much  the  better, — plying  whip  and  spur, 
till  he  be  completely  "  pumped  out "  and  dead  beat.  Faihng 
a  steep  hill,  perhaps  a  ploughed  field  -may  present  itself, 
through  and  round  which  he  should  be  ridden,  in  the  very 
fullest  sense  of  the  word,  till  he  stands  still.  Such  a  horse 
is  utterly  unfit  to  carry  a  lady,  and,  should  she  come  safe 
and  sound  out  of  the  uncomfortable  ride,  he  had  better 


45  RIDING  FOR  LADIES, 


be  consigned  to  Tattersall's  or  "The  Lane,"   to  be  sold 
"  absolutely  without  reserve." 

Worse  still  than  the  runaway  professional  bolter  is  the 
panic-stricken  flight  of  a  suddenly  scared  horse,  in  which 
abject  terror  reigns  supreme,  launching  him  at  the  top  of  his 
speed  in  full  flight  from  some  imaginary  foe.  Nature  has 
taught  him  to  seek  safety  in  flight,  and  the  frightened  animal, 
with  desperate  and  exhausting  energy,  will  gallop  till  he  drops. 
Professor  Galvayne's  system  claims  to  be  effective  with  run- 
away and  nervous  bolters.  At  Ayr  that  distinguished  horse- 
tamer  cured,  in  the  space  of  one  hour,  an  inveterate  performer 
in  that  objectionable  line,  and  a  pair  he  now  drives  were, 
at  one  time,  given  to  like  malpractices. 

Do  not  urge  your  horse  suddenly  from  a  canter  into  a  full 
gallop ;  let  him  settle  down  to  his  pace  gradually— steady 
him.  Being  jumped  off,  like  a  racehorse  with  a  flying  start 
at  the  fall  of  the  flag,  is  very  apt  to  make  a  hot,  high- 
couraged  horse  run  away  or  attempt  to  do  so.  Some  horses, 
however,  allow  great  liberties  to  be  taken  with  them,  and 
others  none.  All  depends  on  temperament,  and  whether 
the  nervous,  fibrous,  sanguine,  or  lymphatic  element  prepon- 
derates. And  here  let  me  remark  that  the  fibrous  tempera- 
ment is  the  one  to  struggle  and  endure,  to  last  the  longest, 
and  to  give  the  maximum  of  ease,  comfort,  and  satisfaction 
to  owner  and  rider. 

Leaping. 

*'  Throw  the  broad  ditch  behind  you  ;  o'er  the  hedge 
High  bound,  resistless  j  nor  the  deep  morass  refuse." 

Thompson. 

Though  the  ''  pleasures  of  the  chase  "  are  purposely  ex- 
cluded  from   this   volume,  the  horsewoman's   preliminary 


LEAPING.  47 


course  of  instruction  would  hardly  be  complete  without  a 
few  remarks  on  jumping.  In  clearing  an  obstacle,  a  horse 
must  to  all  intents  and  purposes  go  through  all  the  motions 
inherent  to  the  vices  of  rearing,  plunging,  and  kicking,  yet 
the  three,  when  in  rapid  combination,  are  by  no  means 
difficult  to  accommodate  one's  self  to.  It  is  best  to  com- 
mence on  a  clever,  steady  horse — "a  safe  conveyance  "  that 
will  go  quietly  at  his  fences,  jump  them  without  an  effort, 
landing  light  as  a  cork,  and  one  that  will  never  dream  of 
refusing.  As  beginners,  no  matter  what  instructors  may  say 
and  protest,  will  invariably,  for  the  first  few  leaps,  till  they 
acquire  confidence,  grip,  and  balance,  ride  to  some  extent 
"  in  the  horse's  mouth,"  they  should  be  placed  on  an  animal 
with  not  too  sensitive  a  mouth,  one  that  can  go  pleasantly 
in  a  plain  snafile. 

Begin  with  something  low,  simple,  and  easy — say  a  three 
feet  high  gorsed  hurdle,  so  thickly  laced  with  the  whin  that 
daylight  cannot  be  seen  through,  with  a  low  white-painted 
rail  some  little  distance  from  it  on  the  take-off  side.  If 
there  be  a  ditch  between  the  rail  and  the  fence,  so  much  the 
better,  for  the  more  the  horse  spreads  himself  the  easier  it 
will  be  to  the  rider,  the  jerk  or  prop  on  landing  the  less 
severe.  Some  horses  sail  over  the  largest  obstacle,  land, 
and  are  away  again  without  their  appearing  to  call  upon 
themselves  for  any  extra  exertion ;  they  clear  it  in  their 
stride.  Hunters  that  know  their  business  can  be  trotted  up 
to  five-barred  gates  and  stiff  timber,  which  they  will  clear 
with  consummate  ease  ;  but  height  and  width  require  distinct 
efforts,  and  the  rear  and  kick  in  this  mode  of  negotiating 
a  fence  are  so  pronounced  and  so  sudden  that  they  would  be 
certain  to  unseat  the  novice. 

It  is  easiest  to  sit  a  leap  if  the  horse  is  ridden  at  it  in 
a  canter  or,  at  most,  in  a  well-collected,  slow  hand-gallop. 


48 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES, 


The  reins  being  held  in  both  hands  with  a  firm,  steady 
hold,  the  horse  should  be  ridden  straight  at  the  spot  you 
have  selected  to  jump.  Sit  straight,  or,  if  anything  out 
of  the  perpendicular,  lean  a  little  back.  The  run  at  the 
fence  need  only  be  a  few  yards.  As  he  nears  it,  the 
forward  prick  of  his  alert  ears  and  a  certain  measuring 
of  his  distance  will  indicate  that  he  means  "  to  have  it," 


THE   LEAP. 

and  is  gathering  himself  for  the  effort.  The  rider  should 
then,  if  she  can  persuade  herself  so  to  do,  give  him  full 
liberty  of  head.  Certain  instructors,  and  horsemen  in 
general,  will  prate  glibly  of  "  lifting"  a  horse  over  his  fence. 
I  have  read  of  steeplechase  riders  "  throwing  "  their  horses 
over  almost  unnegotiable  obstacles,  but  it  is  about  as  easy 
to  upend  an  elephant  by  the  tail  and  throw  him  over  the 


LEAPINC.  49 


garden  wall  as  it  is  for  any  rider  to  ''  lift"  his  horse.  Although 
the  horse  must  be  made  to  feel,  as  he  approaches  the 
fence,  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  for  him  to  swerve  from  it, 
yet  the  instant  he  is  about  to  rise  the  reins  should  be  slacked 
off,  to  be  almost  immediately  brought  to  bear  again  as  he 
descends. 

Irish  horses  are  the  best  jumpers  we  have,  and  their 
excellence  may  justly  be  ascribed  to  the  fact  that,  for  the 
most  part,  they  are  ridden  in  the  snaffle  bridle.  If  the 
horse  be  held  too  light  by  the  head  he  will  "  buck  over " 
the  obstacle,  a  form  of  jumping  well  calculated  to  jerk  the 
beginner  out  of  her  saddle.  After  topping  the  hurdle,  the 
horse's  forehand,  in  his  descent,  will  be  lower  than  his  hind 
quarters.  Had  the  rider  leant  forward  as  he  rose  on  his  hind 
legs,  the  violent  effort  or  kick  of  his  haunches  would  have 
thrown  her  still  further  over  his  neck,  whereas,  having  left 
the  ground  with  a  slight  incUnation  towards  the  croup, 
the  forward  spring  of  the  horse  will  add  to  that  backward 
tendency  and  place  her  in  the  best  possible  position  in 
which  to  counteract  the  shock  received  upon  his  forefeet 
reaching  the  ground.  If  the  rider  does  not  slacken  the  reins 
as  the  horse  makes  his  spring,  they  must  either  be  drawn 
through  her  hands  or  she  will  land  right  out  on  his  neck. 

I  have  referred  to  the  *' buck-over"  system  of  jumping* 
which  is  very  common  with  Irish  horses.  A  mare  of  mine, 
well-known  in  days  of  yore  at  Fermoy  as  "  Up-she-rises, 
would  have  puzzled  even  Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue.  She 
would  come  full  gallop,  when  hounds  were  running,  at  a 
stone  wall,  pull  up  and  crouch  close  under  it,  then,  with 
one  mighty  effort,  throw  herself  over,  her  hind  legs  landing 
on  the  other  side  little  more  than  the  thickness  of  the  wall 
from  where  her  forefeet  had  taken  off.  It  was  not  a 
"  buck,"  but  a  straight  up-on-end  rear,  followed  by  a  frantic 

E 


3> 


50  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

kick  that  threatened  to  hurl  saddle  and  rider  half  across  the 
field.  "  Scrutator,"  in  "  Horses  and  Hounds,"  makes  mention 
of  an  Irish  horse,  which  would  take  most  extraordinary 
leaps  over  gates  and  walls,  and  if  going  ever  so  fast  would 
always  check  himself  and  take  his  leaps  after  his  own 
fashion.  "  Not  thinking  him,"  writes  this  fine  sportsman, 
"up  to  my  weight,  he  was  handed  over  to  the  second 
whipper-in,  and  treated  Jack  at  first  acquaintance  to  a 
rattling  fall  or  two.  He  rode  him,  as  he  had  done  his  other 
horses,  pretty  fast  at  a  stiff  gate,  which  came  in  his  way  the 
first  day.  Some  of  the  field,  not  fancying  it,  persuaded 
Jack  to  try  first,  calculating  upon  his  knocking  it  open, 
or  breaking  the  top  bar.  The  horse,  before  taking  off, 
stopped  quite  short,  and  jerked  him  out  of  the  saddle  over 
to  the  other  side ;  then  raising  himself  on  his  hind  legs, 
vaulted  over  upon  Jack,  who  was  lying  on  his  back.  Not 
being  damaged,  Jack  picked  himself  up,  and  grinning  at  his 
friends,  who  were  on  the  wrong  side  laughing  at  his  fall, 
said,  '  Never  mind,  gentlemen,  'tis  a  rum  way  of  doing 
things  that  horse  has ;  but  no  matter,  we  are  both  on  the 
right  side,  and  that's  where  you  won't  be  just  yet.' " 

The  standing  jump  is  much  more  difficult,  till  the  neces- 
sary balance  be  acquired,  than  the  flying  leap.  The  lower 
and  longer  the  curve  described,  the  easier  to  sit ;  but  in 
this  description  of  leaping,  the  horse,  though  he  clears 
height,  cannot  cover  much  ground.  His  motion  is  like  that 
of  the  Whip's  horse  described  above,  and  the  rider  will  find 
the  effort,  as  he  springs  from  his  haunches,  much  more 
accentuated  than  in  the  case  of  the  flying  leap,  and  there- 
fore the  more  difficult  to  sit.  As,  however,  leaping, 
properly  speaking,  belongs  to  the  hunting-field,  I  propose 
to  deal  more  fully  with  the  subject  in  another  volume. 


DISMOUNTING.  5t 


Dismounting. 

When  the  novice  dismounts  there  should,  at  first,  be  two 
persons  to  aid — one  to  hold  the  horse's  head,  the  other  to 
lift  her  from  the  saddle.  After  a  very  few  lessons,  if  the 
lady  be  active  and  her  hack  a  steady  one,  the  services  of 
the  former  may  be  dispensed  with.  Of  course  the  horse  is 
brought  to  full  stop.  Transfer  the  whip  to  the  left  hand, 
throw  the  right  leg  over  to  the  near  side  of  the  crutch  and 
disengage  the  foot  from  the  stirrup.  Let  the  reins  fall  on 
the  neck,  see  that  the  habit  skirt  is  quite  clear  of  the  leap- 
ing-head, turn  in  the  saddle,  place  the  left  hand  upon  the 
right  arm  of  the  cavaHer  or  squire,  the  right  on  the  leaping- 
head,  and  half  spring  half  glide  to  the  ground,  lighting  on 
the  balls  of  the  feet,  dropping  a  slight  curtsey  to  break  the 
jar  on  the  frame.  Retain  hold  of  the  leaping-head  till  safely 
landed. 

Very  few  men  understand  the  proper  manner  in  which 
to  exercise  the  duties  of  the  cavalier  servant  in  mounting 
and  dismounting  ladies.  Many  ladies  not  unreasonably 
object  to  be  Ufted  off  their  horses  almost  into  grooms'  arms. 
A  correspondent  of  the  Sporting  a?id  Dramatic  N'ezus 
mentions  a  contretemps  to  a  somewhat  portly  lady  in  the 
Crimea,  whose  husband,  in  hoisting  her  up  on  to  her  saddle 
with  more  vigour  than  skill,  sent  his  better  half  right  over 
the  horse's  back  sprawling  on  the  ground.  It  is  by  no  means 
an  uncommon  thing  to  see  ladies,  owing  to  want  of  lift  on 
the  part  of  the  lifter  and  general  clu^msiness,  failing  to 
reach  the  saddle  and  slipping  down  again. 

Having  dismounted,  "  make  much  "  of  your  horse,  and 
give  him  a  bit  of  carrot,  sugar,  apple,  or  some  tid-bit. 
Horses  are  particularly  fond  of  apples. 


52  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    SIDE    SADDLE. 

It  is  of  first-class  importance  that  a  lady's  saddle  should  be 
made  by  a  respectable  and  thoroughly  competent  saddler. 
Seeing  the  number  of  years  a  well-built  and  properly  kept 
side-saddle  will  last,  it  is  but  penny  wise  to  grudge  the 
necessary  outlay  in  the  first  instance.  Those  constructed 
on  the  cheap  machine-made  system  never  give  satisfaction 
to  the  rider,  are  constantly  in  need  of  repair  (grooms,  if 
permitted,  are  everlastingly  in  and  out  of  the  saddler's 
shop),  and  are  a  prolific  cause  of  sore  backs. 

With  all  saddles  the  chief  cause,  the  source  and  origin, 
of  evil  is  badly  constructed  and  badly  fitting  trees  that  take 
an  undue  bearing  on  different  parts  of  the   back.     At  a 
critical   moment,   when  just  a  little    extra  exertion  would 
perhaps   keep  the  horse  on  his  legs,  a  somewhat  tender 
muscle  or  portion  of  "  scalded  "  skin  comes  in  painful  con- 
tact with   some   part   of  an   ill-fitting   saddle,  the   agony 
causing  him  to  wince,  checks  the  impulse  to  extend  the 
"  spare  leg,"  and  he  comes  down.     It  does  not  matter  how 
hard  or  heavy  the  rider  may  be,  how  tender  the  skin,  a  sore 
back  can  be  prevented  by  a  proper  system  of  measurement 
and  a  good  pannel.     Mrs.    Power    O'Donoghue,   in   her 
very  interesting    letters  upon    "  Ladies   on   Horseback," 
unsparingly  condemns    the    elaborate    embroideiy   which 
adorned  (?)  the  near  flap  of  every  old-fashioned  saddle,  point- 
ing out  that  as  it  is  always  concealed  by  the  rider's  right 
leg,  the  work  is  a  needless  expense.     "There  might  be 
some   sense,"   that   brilliant   and   bold   horsewoman   says, 


THE  SIDE  SADDLE. 


53 


'•  although  very  little,  in  decorating  the  off-side  and  impart- 
ing to  it  somewhat  of  an  ornamental  appearance  ;  but  in  my 
opinion  there  cannot  be  too  much  simplicity  about  any- 


THE  OLD    STYLE. 


thing  connected  with  riding  appointments.  Let  your  saddle, 
like  your  personal  attire,  be  remarkable  only  for  perfect 
freedom  from  ornament  or  display.     Have  it  made  to  suit 


54 


RIDING   FOR  LADIES. 


yourself — neither  too  weighty  nor  yet  too  small, — and  if 
you  want  to  ride  with  grace  and  comfort,  desire  that  it  be 
constructed  without  one  particle  of  the  objectionable  dip'^ 


..V  >.  ./l 


^-"^'''-j  %i^--^ii^ s^/^!iiu. . 


THE  SAFETY  SADDLE. 


The  foregoing  two  sketches,  "  The  Old  Style"  and  "  The 
Straight-Seated  Safety,"  contrast  the  wide  difference  between 
the  old  and  fast  disappearing  form  of  side-saddle  and  that 


THE  SIDE  SADDLE, 


55 


designed  and  manufactured  by  Messrs.  Champion  and 
Wilton.  The  disadvantages  of  the  old  style  are  so  painfully 
obvious  that  it  is  marvellous  they  should  not  have  been 
remedied  years  ago.  On,  or  rather  in^  one  of  these,  the 
lady  sat  in  a  dip  or  kind  of  basin,  and  unless  her  limbs  were 
of  unusual  length— thereby  pushing  her  right  knee  towards 
the  off-side — she  necessarily  faced  half-left,  z.^.,  not  her 
horse's  ears,  but  his  near  shoulder ;  or,  in  order  to  attain 
any  squareness  of  front,  she  was  called  upon  to  twist  her 
body  from  the  hips, 
and  to  maintain  a 
most  fatiguing, 
forced  position  dur- 
ing her  whole  ride 
(even  through  . a 
long  day's  hunting), 


or  else  sit  altogether  on  the  near 
side  of  her  saddle.  This  twist  was 
the  cause  of  the  pains  in  the  spine 
so  frequently  complained  of.  More 
than  this,  the  height  upon  which  her 
pommels  were  raised  caused  her  to 
sit,  as  it  were,  uphill,  or  at  best  (in 
the  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  saddler  to  rectify  this,  by 
stuffing  up  the  seat  of  her  saddle)  to  find  herself  perched 
far  above  her  horse's  back.  The  natural  expedient  of  carry- 
ing the  upper  or  middle  pommel  nearer. the  centre  of  the 
horse's  withers,  so  as  to  bring  the  knee  about  in  a  line  with 
his  mane,  was  impracticable  with  the  old.style  of  saddle  tree, 
which  gave  the  pommels  a  lofty,  arched  base  above  the  apex 
of  his  shoulders.  The  result  was,  in  all  cases,  (i)  great  in- 
convenience and  often  curvature  of  the  spine  to  the  rider, 
(2)  constant  liability  to  sore  back  on  the  part  of  the  horse, 


56 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


through  the  cross  friction  produced  by  the  lady's  one-sided 
position.  To  meet  and  entirely  remove  the  difficulty,  Messrs. 
Champion  and  Wilton  pruned  away  all  the  forepart  of  the 
saddle-tree,  and,  in  place  of  the  raised  wood  and  metal  base, 
upon  which  the  lady's  right  leg  formerly  rested,  substituted 
merely  a  stout  leather  flap  or  cushion. 

As  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  illustration,  they  were 
by  this  arrangement  able  to  place  the  upper  pommel  in  what- 
ever exact  position  the  form  of  the  rider  may  require,  to 
enable  her  to  sit  straight  to  her  proper  front,  riding  the 
whole  upon  a  level  seat,  and  distributing  her  weight  fairly 
upon  her  horse's  back.  The  importance  of  being  in  a 
position  to  face  her  work  and  to  hold  her  horse  at  his, 
needs  no  comment.  The  small  holster  attached  to  the 
saddle  is  an  exceedingly  ingenious  air  and  water-tight 
detachable   receptacle   for   a  reliable   watch  with   a   very 

clearly  marked  dial. 
f^  The  rider  thus 
always  has  the  time 
before  her  eyes,  and 
is  saved  the  great 
inconvenience  —  in 
the  hunting  -  field 
especially — of  un- 
buttoning the  habit 
to  get  out  a  watch. 
This  invention, 
though  not  a  ne- 
cessity, is  a  very 
handy  adjunct. 
This  superlatively 
good  saddle  is  fitted  with  a  Patent  Safety-Stirrup  Bar, 
which,  while  it  renders  it  impossible  for  the  rider  to  be 


THE  SIDE   SADDLE. 


57 


hung  up  or  dragged  when  thrown,  cannot  possibly  become 
detached  so  long  as  she  remains  in  the  saddle.  The  action 
of  this  perfect  safeguard  is  explained  by  the  accompanying 
diagrams. 

The  back  of  the  bar  is  fixed  to  the  tree  in  the  ordinary 
way.  There  are  only  two  moving  parts,  viz.  the  hinged 
hook-piece,  marked  A,  Figs,  i,  2,  and  3,  upon  which  the 
loop  of  the  stirrup-leather  is  hung,  and  the  locking  bar,  B, 
upon  which  the  skirt  and  the  rider's  legs  rest.  It  will  be 
noticed  that  the  front  of  the  hook-piece,  marked  A,  Fig.  i, 
is  cut  off  diagonally 
front  and  back,  and 
that  there  is  upon 
the  back-plate  a 
cone,  marked  C, 
which  projects 
through  the  back  of 
the  hook-piece.  The 
locking  action  may 
be  thus  described : 
The  skirt,  with  lever,  pm  -A 
B,  Fig.  2,  is  lifted,  the  1   ■     ma 

hook.  A,  pulled  for- 
ward, and  the  loop 
of  the  stirrup-leather 
hooked  upon  it;  it 
springs    back    again 

(spring    not    shown)  fjC  5 

and  the  locking  lever, 
B,  falls  down  over  it, 
as  at  Fig  3.  While  in  the  saddle,  one  of  the  rider's  legs  rests 
at  all  times  upon  the  skirt  and  lever,  which  therefore  cannot 
rise;  but  upon  the  rider  being  thrown  and  dragged,  the  stirrup- 


58 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


leather  is  tilted  diagonally  against  the  cone,  C,  in  passing 
which  the  hook  is  thrust  outwards,  lifting  the  locking  lever 
and  skirt,  as  shown,  Fig.  2,  and  thus  reaching  the  releasing 
point,  is  free.  There  is  another  case  more  rare,  that  in 
which  the  rider  is  thrown  over  the  horse's  head,  and  also 
over  a  gate  or  fence  when  the  horse  refuses  and  backs  ;  and 


here  we  have  just  the  reverse  action  to  that  of  the  ordinary 
dragging,  but  in  this  case  the  bar  acts  equally  well.  When 
the  rider  is  thrown  and  dragged  on  the  off  or  reverse  side, 
the  stirrup-leather  lifts  the  skirt  and  locking  lever,  Fig.  2, 
and  there  remains  nothing  to  retain  the  loop  to  the  bar. 
The  above  sketch  of  the  side-saddle  will   aid   in  making 


THE  SIDE  SADDLE.  59 

the  foregoing  clear.  Here  A  is  the  skirt,  and  locking  lever, 
B,  shown  raised,  in  order  to  fit  the  loop  of  the  stirrup- 
leather  to  the  hook  C  below  the  cone  D. 

A  balance  strap  is  usually  supplied  with  a  side-saddle,  and 
is  a  very  desirable  adjunct.  Ds  also,  to  which  the  cover-coat 
is  attached,  should  be  fitted  on. 

Quilted  or  plain  doeskin  seat  and  pommels  are  matters 
of  taste.  These  extras  add  to  the  cost  of  the  saddle.  A 
waterproof  or  leather  cover  is  an  essential.  Hogskin  caps 
and  straps,  to  prevent  the  habit  catching  on  the  pommels, 
should  be  provided  when', the  new  patent  safety-bar  stirnip 
is  not  used. 

AVhen  practicable  a  lady  should  invariably  be  measured 
for  her  saddle.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  find  a  lady's  horse 
that  at  some  time  or  another  has  not  suffered  from  sore 
back,  and  it  is  imperative  that  the  saddle  should  fit  both 
and  that  perfectly.  We  bipeds  cannot  walk  or  run  in  tight 
ill-fitting  boots,  neither  can  a  horse  act  under  a  badly  fitting 
saddle.  I  have  read  somewhere  that  the  Empress  of  Austria 
rode  in  an  8-lb.  saddle,  a  statement  I  take  leave  to  doubt. 
Her  Imperial  Highness  is  far  too  fine  and  experienced  a 
horsewoman  to  have  been  seen  outside  any  such  toy.  In 
the  present  day  there  is  a  senseless  rage  for  light  side-saddles, 
much  to  be  deprecated,  as  the  lightness  is  gained  at  the 
expense  of  the  tree,  and  light  flimsy  leather  is  used  in  their 
manufacture.  Possibly  when  alum  comes  into  general  use  we 
may  see  lighter  and  even  strong  trees.  A  lady  weighing  9 
stone  7  lbs.  requires  a  saddle  about  17  inches  long,  measured, 
as  in  the  sketch,  from  A  to  B,  the  seat  from  C  to  D,  13!  inches 
wide,  the  upright  pommel  5^  inches  high,  and  the  leaping- 
head  8  inches  long.  Such  a  saddle,  brand  new,  will  weigh 
about  14  lbs.,  and  at  the  end  of  a  season  will  pull  the  scale 
down  at  18  to  20  lbs.     A  saddle  made  of  the  proper  weight 


6o 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


and  strength  in  the  first  instance — the  extra  weight  being  in 
the  tree,  where  the  strength  is  required — will  be  lighter  in 
appearance. 

Light  saddles  always  require  a  lot  of  extra  stuffing, 
which  soon  mounts  up  the  weight  and  detracts  from  the 
looks;  moreover  it  is  very  inconvenient  to  be  constantly 
sending  one's  saddle  to  be  restuffed.  Most  ladies,  from 
lack    of   proper    supervision    and   want    of   thought,   are 


neglectful  of  the  make  and  condition  of  their  saddles,  and 
so  some  ribald  cynic  has  hazarded  the  remark  that  although 
"a  good  man  is  merciful  to  his  beast,  a  good  woman  is 
rarely  so."  A  first  class  firm  keeps  an  experienced  man  for 
the  purpose  of  measuring  horses,  who  is  sent  out  any  dis- 
tance required  at  a  fixed  scale  of  charges.  When  a  lady 
cannot  conveniently  attend  to  be  measured,  she  should 
endeavour  to  get  the  measurements,  as  indicated  in  the 
sketch,  from  some  saddle  in  which  she  can  ride  with  comfort, 


THE  SIDE  SADDLE. 


61 


Though  careful  fitting  and  adjustment  of  the  saddle  will 
reduce  friction  to  a  minimum,  and  will,  in  the  majority  of 
cases,  do  away  with  its  baneful  effects,  still  with  some  very 
highly  bred  horses  the  skin  of  the  back  is  so  easily  irritated, 
that  during  a  long  day's  work,  in  hot  climates  especially,  it 
becomes  chafed,  and  injury  is  inflicted  either  at  the  withers 
or  underneath  the  seat.  Nothing  is  more  difficult  to  deal  with 
and  heal  than  a  sore  back.  In  a  prolonged  and  arduous 
campaign,  I  have  seen  regiments  seriously  reduced  below 
their  fighting 
strength  by  obsti- 
nate sore  backs. 
A  very  great  de- 
sideratum,  in  my 
opinion,    is    the 

new  "Humanity"  sponge-lined  numnah, 
another  of  Messrs.  Champion  and 
Wilton's  sensible  inventions.  This  ex- 
cellent preventative  and  curative  Saddle- 
cloth keeps  the  most  tender-skinned 
horse  in  a  position  to  walk  in  comfort. 
It  is  an  adaptation  of  the  finer  kind  of  Turkey  sponge,  the 
soft  nature  of  which  suggested  itself  to  the  inventors  as  an 
agent  for  counteracting  saddle  friction. 

It  is  made  in  two  varieties  :  (i)  of  bridle  leather,  lined 
at  the  withers  with  this  fine,  natural  sponge,  thus  inter- 
posing a  soft  pad  between  the  saddle  and  the  withers 
(a  point  where  the  chief  strain  of  a  lady's  seat  is  brought  to 
bear  during  the  action  of  the  trot)  ;  (2)  of  a  fine  white  felt, 
lined  at  the  back  as  well  as  at  the  withers  with  the  same 
quality  of  sponge,  and  intended  for  such  horses  as  are  apt 
to  become  troubled  under  the  seat  of  the  saddle  as  well 
as  at  the  withers.     The  sponge  has  to  be  damped,  pre- 


62 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


INSIDE.    SURFACE 


ferably  in  warm  water,  but  pressed  or  wrung  out  before 
using,  and  the  leather  part  kept  soft  with  vaseline,  which  is 
an  excellent  preservative  and  softener  of  leather.  EacJi 
time  after  use,  the  stueat  should  be  thoroughly  washed  out  of 
the  sponge;  to  ensure  best  results,  attention  to  scrupulous  clean- 
liness is  absolutely  essential  The  following  are  representa- 
tions of  this  numnah. 

With  the  safety-bar  and  the  Zenith  habit  it  matters  not 
what  form  of  stirrup  a  lady  uses,  for  these.  hav6  done  away 

with  the  necessity  for 
the  so-called  safety 
patterns,  of  which 
there  are  several.  The 
slipper  has  been  ob- 
jected to,  as  it,  from 
being  so  comfortable, 
encourages  ladies  to 
lean  their  whole 
weight  on  it  and  thus 
throw  themselves  out 
of  balance;  more- 
over, it  is  out  of 
fashion.  Mrs.  Power 
O'Donoghue  advocates  the  plain  iron  racing  stirrup,  with 
the  foot  well  home,  as  by  its  means  the  rise  or  purchase 
is  from  the  instep,  as  it  ought  to  be,  and  not  from  the  toes. 
The  Prussian  side-pieces  at  the  bottom  take  sharp  pressure 
off  the  sides  of  the  foot.  The  Victoria  and  French  pad 
inside  the  stirrup,  except  when  the  safety  bar  and  habit  are 
adopted,  are  fraught  with  danger;  with  these  precautions 
they  are  a  great  comfort,  and  guard  the  instep  at  the  trot 
when  the  foot  is  thrust  well  home.  The  size  of  the  stirrup 
should  be  proportionate  to  the  foot. 


C     63     ) 


CHAPTER  V. 


HINTS    UPON    COSTUME. 


"  She  wore  what  was  then  somewhat  universal — a  coat,  vest,  and  hat 
resembling  those  of  a  man ;  which  fashion  has  since  called  a  Riding- 
Habit." — Diana   Vernon,  Scott. 

Under  no  circumstances  does  a  lady,  possessed  of  good 
figure  and  carriage,  appear  to  such  great  advantage,  or  is 
she  so  fascinating,  as  when  with  mien  and  bearing  haught 
and  high,  with  perfect,  well-balanced  seat,  and  light  hands, 
faultlessly  appointed,  firmly,  gently,  and  with  seeming  care- 
lessness she  controls  some  spirited  high-bred  horse,  some 
noble  steed  of  stainless  purity  of  breed,  whose  rounded 
symmetry  of  form,  characteristic  spring  of  the  tail,  and  pride 
of  port,  proclaim  his  descent  from 

"The  Silver  Arab  with  his  purple  veins, 
The  true  blood  royal  of  his  race." 

At  no  time  are  the  beauties  of  the  female  form  divine 
displayed  with  such  witching  grace_,  the  faultless  flowing 
lines  so  attractively  posed,  the  /<?///  ensemble  so  thoroughly 
patrician.  But  if  there  be  one  blot  in  the  fair  picture  the 
whole  charm  at  once  vanishes.  The  incomparable  dignity, 
the  well-turned-out  steeds — the  best  that  money  could  buy 
or  critical  judgment  select — the  perfect  figure  of  that  superb 
horsewoman  the  Empress  of  Austria,  of  whom  it  may  justly 
be  said  "  All  the  pride  of  all  her  race  in  herself  reflected 
lives,"  were  it  possible  for  Her  Imperial  Majesty  to  err  in 
such  a  matter,  would  have  been  of  little  effect,  but  for  a 
faultlessly  cut  and  fitting  habit. 


64  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

"  Fine  feathers  make  fine  birds,"  and  though  in  riding 
costume  the  plumage,  save  in  the  hunting-field,  must  be 
of  sombre  tint,  it  must  be  unruffled  and  lie  perfectly 
flat.  There  are  Habit-makers  and  Habit-makers;  a  very 
few  as  perfect  as  need  be,  more  mediocre,  most  arrant 
bunglers.  Of  late  years  legions  of  so-called  ladies'-tailors 
have  sprung  into  being,  not  one  in  a  hundred  possessing 
the  faintest  idea  of  what  is  wanted.  A  Habit-maker 
is  a  genius  not  often  met  with,  and  when  come  across 
should  be  made  a  note  of.  A  perfect  fitting  habit, 
though  not  quite  "  a  joy  for  ever,"  is  a  very  useful,  long- 
wearing,  and  altogether  desirable  garment.  Particular 
attention  must  be  given  to  the  cutting  of  the  back  of  the 
neck  to  secure  plenty  of  play,  and  to  prevent  that  disagree- 
able tightness  so  often  experienced,  which  completely  mars 
the  easy  and  graceful  movement  of  the  head.  While  giving 
absolute  freedom  to  the  figure,  the  well  shaped  body  will  fit 
like  a  glove.  A  tight  habit  gives  a  stiff,  inelegant  appearance 
to  the  whole  figure,  and  produces  a  feeling  of  being 
"cribbed,  cabined,  and  confined,"  tantamount  to  semi- 
suffocation.  A  too  long  waist  is  certain  to  ride-up  and 
wrinkle.  For  winter  wear  there  is  nothing  like  the  double- 
breasted  body.     The  choice  to  select  from  is  a  wide  one. 

To  my  mind  and  eye  no  one  understands  the  whole  art  of 
habit-making  so  well  as  Mr.  W.  Shingleton,  60,  New  Bond 
Street,  London,  the  inventor  of  the  patent  "Zenith"  skirt, 
an  ingenious  arrangement  which  should  be  universally 
patronized  for  its  absolute  safety,  if  for  no  less  weighty 
reason.  Any  lady  wearing  this  clever  and  smart  combina- 
tion of  skirt  and  trousers,  seated  on  one  of  Messrs.  Champion 
and  Wilton's  safety  side-saddles,  may  set  her  mind  completely 
at  rest  as  to  the  possibility  of  being  "hung  up"  on  the 
pommel,  or  dragged  by  it  or  the  stirrup.      Perfect  freedom 


HINTS  UPON  COSTUME. 


65 


in  the  saddle  is  secured  to  the  rider,  that  portion  of  the 

skirt  which    in  the  ordinary  habit   fits    over   the  pommel, 

always  a  source  of  danger,  being  entirely  dispensed  with. 

The  ''  Zenith"  is  made  in  two  breadths  or  portions,  instead 

of  three,  as  heretofore,  and  on  one  side  this  skirt  is  attached 

to  the  trousers  at  the  *'  side  seam  "  of  the  right  leg,  or  leg 

which     passes    over    the 

pommel.      The    skirt    is 

then    carried     across    or 

over    both    legs    of    the 

trousers  in  front,  and,  on 

the  other  side,  is  brought 

round    and    attached    to 

the    "leg   seam"   of  the 

left  leg  and  to  the  ''seat 


seam,"  both  the  trousers 
and  the  skirt  being  then 
secured  to  the  waistband. 
Thus  the  rider,  as  stated 
above,  has  the  pommel 
leg  free  to  be  readily  dis- 
engaged from  the  pom- 
mel without  the  skirt 
catching  thereon,  the  right  the 
leg  at  the  back  being  left 
uncovered  by  the  skirt.  An  opening  formed  on  the  left  side 
of  the  skirt  allows  of  the  garment  being  readily  put  on. 
The  front  draping  of  the  skirt  remains  unaltered  from  the 
usual  skirt,  but  when  seen  from  behind  it  presents  the 
appearance  of  one  leg  covered,  the  other  uncovered.  When 
walking,  the  back  of  the  right  trousers  leg,  which  is  un- 
covered, can  be  draped  somewhat  by  the  front  of  the  skirt 
being  lifted  and  brought  round  by  the  right  hand.     There  is 

F 


"zenith"    habit — ^JACKET 
BODY. 


66  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

nothing  whatever  in  this  invention  to  ofifend  the  most  sensi- 
tive equestrienne,  nothing  to  hurt  the  proper  feelings  of  the 
most  modest.  If  preferred,  the  skirt  may  be  provided  on 
each  side  with  a  sUt,  extending  down  from  the  knees,  so  as 
to  enable  the  wearer  to  readily  use  the  skirt  when  wearing 
breeches  or  riding  boots.  That  such  an  enterprising  firm  as 
Messrs.  Redfern,  of  Paris,  should  have  secured  the  patent 
rights  for  France,  speaks  volumes  in  favour  of  Mr.  Shingle- 
ton's  really  admirable  invention. 

Except  for  summer  wear  in  early  morning  or  in  the 
country,  and  in  the  case  of  young  girls,  when  grey  is  per- 
missible, the  habit  should  be  made  of  some  dark  cloth.  In 
the  hunting-field,  on  which  subject  I  am  not  touching  in  this 
volume,  some  ladies  who  *'  go  "  don  pink,  those  patronising 
the  Duke  of  Beaufort's  wearing  the  becoming  livery  of  the 
Badminton  Hunt,  than  which  nothing  is  more  becoming. 
Diagonal  ribbed  cloths  are  much  in  vogue  for  skirts.  Stout 
figures  tone  down  the  appearance  of  too  great  solidity  and 
rotundity  by  wearing  an  adaptation  of  the  military  tunic. 
The  long  jacket-body,  depicted  in  Mr.  Shingleton's  sketch 
of  the  "  Zenith,"  is  well  suited  to  full  figures.  Waistcoats 
are  all  the  rage, — blue  bird's-eye,  plush-leather  with  pearl 
buttons,  kersey,  corduroy,  nankeen,  etc.,  in  endless  variety, 
and  are  very  much  in  evidence,  as  are  shirt  fronts,  high 
collars,  silk  ties  with  sporting-pin  a  la  cavaliere.  Braiding  or 
ornamentation  is  bad  form ;  no  frilling,  no  streamers  are 
admissible;  everything,  to  be  in  good  taste,  ought  to  be  of 
the  very  best,  without  one  inch  of  superfluous  material, — 
severely  simple. 

In  the  Park,  except  for  young  ladies  just  entering  on  their 
teens,  or  children,  the  tall  silk  hat  is  de  rigueur.  The 
present  prevailing  *' chimney-pot"  or  "stove-pipe"  model, 
shaped  something  like  the  tompion  of  a  gun,  is  an  unbecom- 


HINTS  UPON  COSTUME.  67 


ing  atrocity.  Let  us  hope  that  fashion  will  soon  revert  to 
the  broad  curled  brim  bell-shaped  Hardwicke.  Nothing 
is  cheap  that's  bad,  and  nothing  detracts  more  from  the 
general  effect  of  a  "get-up"  than  a  bad  hat.  So  if  my 
lady  reader  wants  to  be  thoroughly  well  hatted,  let  her  go  to 
Ye  Hatterie,  105,  Oxford  Street,  and  be  measured  for  one 
of  Mr.  Heath's  best.  It  will  last  out  two  or  three  of  other 
makers,  and  having  done  duty  one  season  in  Rotten  Row, 
will  look  well  later  on  in  the  wear-and-tear  of  the  hunting 
field,  preserving  its  bright  glossy  brilliancy,  no  matter 
what  the  weather  be.  Order  a  quilted  silk  lining  in  pre- 
ference to  a  plain  leather  one,  and,  when  being  measured, 
let  the  chevelure  be  compact  and  suited  for  riding.  A  low- 
crowned  hat  is  the  best.  For  young  girls,  and  out  of  the 
season,  riding  melon-shaped  or  pot-hats  of  felt  are  useful  and 
by  no  means  unbecoming.  Mr.  Heath  makes  a  speciality  of 
these,  and  has  scores  of  different,  and  more  or  less  becom- 
ing, styles  to  select  from.  Hats  made  to  the  shape  of  the 
head  require  no  elastics  to  hold  them  on,  and  are  not  the 
fruitful  source  of  headache  which  ready-made  misfits  invari- 
ably are.  There  is  no  objection  to  a  grey  felt  with  grey 
gauze  veil  in  the  summer,  but  black  with  a  black  veil  is  in 
better  taste.  Anything  in  the  way  of  colour,  other  than 
grey,  or,  perhaps  brown,  is  inadmissible.  I  am  not  sufficient 
of  a  Monsieur  Mantalini  to  advise  very  minutely  on  such 
important  points  as  the  ladies'  toilette,  as  to  what  veils  may 
or  may  not  be  worn,  but  a  visit  to  the  Park  any  morning 
or  forenoon,  when  London  is  in  Town,  will  best  decide. 
For  dusty  roads  gauze  is  essential. 

Of  all  abominations  and  sources  of  equestrian  discomfort 
a  badly  built  pair  of  riding-breeches  are  the  worst.  No 
breeches,  pants,  or  trousers  can  possibly  sit  well  and  give 
absolute  comfort  in  the  saddle  without  flexible  hips  and  belt- 


68  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


band  riding-drawers.  The  best  material,  and  preferable  to  all 
silk,  is  a  blend  of  silk  and  cashmere,  which  wears  well,  is 
warm,  elastic,  of  permanent  elasticity,  can  be  worn  with 
great  comfort  by  the  most  sensitive,  and  is  not  too  expen- 
sive. A  habit  should  fit  like  a  glove  over  the  hips,  and  the 
flexible-hip  make  of  riding-drawers  which  I  advocate,  aids  in 
securing  this  moulding.  The  fit  of  the  breeches  or  pants, 
especially  that  of  the  right  leg,  at  the  inside  of  the  knee, 
should  be  particularly  insisted  upon.  First-class  ladies' 
tailors  generally  have  a  model  horse  on  which  their  customers 
can  mount  when  trying  on.  At  Messrs.  E.  Tautz  and  Sons' 
establishment,  where  the  rider  can  be  accoutred  to  perfec- 
tion, ladies  will  find  a  competent  assistant  of  their  own  sex, 
— a  trained  fitter — who  will  by  careful  measurement  and 
subsequent  "trying  on"  secure  them  against  the  galling 
miseries  of  badly  cut  and  ill-fitting  breeches.  Materials  of 
every  description  are  available ;  but  if  the  fair  reader  will  be 
advised  by  me,  she  will  select  brown  undressed  deer-skin, 
which  is  soft,  pliable,  and  durable.  The  waistbands  and 
continuations  are  of  strong  twilled  silk.  Leggings  are 
generally  and  preferably  worn  with  the  breeches,  and  can 
be  had  in  all  shades  of  cloth  to  go  with  the  habit. 

For  the  colonies  and  India  a  new  material,  known  as 
Dr.  Lahmann's  cotton-wool  underclothing,  cannot  be  too 
highly  commended.  In  "the  gorgeous  East,"  of  which 
abode  of  the  sun  I  have  had  some  experience,  between 
March  and  the  latter  days  of  October,  the  thinnest  animal- 
wool  is  unbearably  warm,  and,  when  prickly-heat  is  about, 
absolutely  unbearable,  the  irritation  produced  by  the  two 
being,  I  should  imagine,  akin  to  that  endured  by  the  four- 
footed  friend  of  man  when  suffering  acutely  from  the  mange. 
Moreover,  in  the  clutches  of  the  Indian  dhobie  (washerman), 
woollen  materials  rapidly  shrink  by  degrees  and  become 


MINTS  UPON  COSTUME.  69 


beautifully  less,  when  not  knocked  into  holes,  and  are  con- 
verted into  a  species  of  felt. 

This  fabric  is  a  new  departure  in  the  manufacture  of 
cotton.  From  first  to  last  it  is  treated  as  wool,  is  spun  as 
wool,  and  woven  as  wool,  and  in  my  opinion  is  the  best 
possible  material  for  under  wear  in  the  tropics.  It  is  cool, 
wears  well,  washes  well,  is  warranted  not  to  shrink,  does 
not  irritate  the  most  sensitive  skin,  and,  being  woven  on 
circular  knitting  looms,  is  peculiarly  adapted  for  close-fitting 
riding-drawers  and  under-clothing  generally.  It  has  the 
additional  merits  of  having  the  appearance  and  colour  of 
silk — a  soft  cream  colour, — is  entirely  free  from  dressing, 
and  is  moderate  in  price.  As  this  fabric  (porous,  knitted, 
woven,  ribbed,  or  double-ribbed)  is  sold  by  the  yard  as  well 
as  made  up  into  seamless  pants,  jersies,  etc.,  it  is  admirably 
suited  to  the  make  of  flexible-hip  and  belt-band  drawers 
referred  to  above.  I  feel  that  in  directing  attention  to  this 
"  baumwoll "  (tree  wool)  clothing,  I  am  conferring  a  benefit 
on  all  Europeans  whose  avocations  keep  them  within 
the  tropics,  and  on  those  of  them  especially  who  are  obliged 
to  take  constant  and  prolonged  horse  exercise.  It  is  to 
be  obtained  at  the  Lahmann  Agency,  15,  Fore  Street, 
London,  E.G. 

The  question  of  corsage  is  an  all-important  one,  as  the 
fit  of  a  garment  depends  largely  on  the  shape  of  the  corset. 
For  growing  girls,  and  especially  for  such  as  are  at  all 
delicate  and  outgrowing  their  strength,  the  Invigoraior 
corset  is  the  least  objectionable  I  have  yet  seen.  That  it 
has  the  approval  of  the  faculty  is  in  its  favour.  It  may  be 
described  as  a  corset  in  combination  with  a  chest-expanding 
brace,  and  as  such  corrects  the  habit  of  stooping,  and  by  ex- 
panding the  chest  flattens  the  back  and  keeps  the  shoulder- 
blades  in  their  right  place.    Speaking  as  an  ex-adjutant,  who 


70  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

has  had  a  good  deal  of  experience  in  '*  setting-up-drills,"  it 
in  my  opinion  possesses  for  young  people  merits  far  superior 
to  anything  of  the  kind  yet  brought  out.  It  gives  support 
where  most  wanted  without  impeding  the  freedom  of  the 
movements  of  the  body ;  its  elasticity  is  such  that  respira- 
tion and  circulation  are  not  interfered  with ;  the  chest  is 
thrown  out,  the  back  straightened,  preserving  an  erect 
figure — the  body  being  kept  erect  by  the  cross-straps  at  the 
back ;  it  is  comfortable  to  the  wearer,  and  there  is  no  undue 
pressure  anywhere.  A  riding-stay  to  be  perfect  should  be 
as  light  as  possible,  consistent  with  due  support,  boned 
throughout  with  real  whalebone,  so  as  to  be  capable  of 
being  bent  and  twisted  without  fear  of  "  broken  busks,"  and 
should  fit  the  figure — not  the  figure  fit  it — with  glove-like 
accuracy.  Such  supple  corsets  give  perfect  ease  with  free- 
dom. The  best  special  maker  of  riding-corsets  for  ladies 
is  Madame  Festa,  13,  Carlos  Street,  Grosvenor  Square, 
London,  W.  This  artiste's  productions  combine  all  that 
is  necessary  in  material  and  workmanship,  with  perfect  fit, 
ease,  and  grace.  A  combination  of  silk  elastic  and  coutil 
is  said  to  be  the  ideal  material  from  which  really  comfort- 
able corsets  are  made.  For  winter  work  they  should  be  lined 
with  a  pure  natural  woollen  stuff  as  soft  as  a  Chuddah 
shawl.  For  tropical  climates  Grass-cloth  or  Nettle-cloth  is 
strongly  recommended. 

In  this  humid,  uncertain  climate  of  ours  the  rider  will 
generally  find  some  sort  of  light  and  short  waterproof  a 
great  comfort.  Jt  should  be  sufficiently  long  to  clear  the 
saddle,  and  of  a  material  such  as  will  permit  of  its  being 
rolled  up  into  a  small  compass  for  attachment  to  the  Ds  of 
the  saddle.  Messrs.  Lewin  and  Co.,  28,  Cockspur  Street, 
S.W.  (successors  to  the  old  established  firm  Bax  and  Co.), 
makers  of  the  Selby  driving-coat,  turn  out  some  very  neat 


HINTS   UPON  COSTUME.  71 

waterproof  tweed  or  drab  garments,  which  are  appropriate 
and  serviceable.  Their  designs  are  good,  and  the  material 
thoroughly  to  be  relied  upon. 

Well  fitting,  or  in  other  words,  tight  gloves,  of  course, 
look  very  well,  but  horsewomen  must  preserve  free  use  of 
their  hands.  Lightness  of  hand  is  an  essential,  but  a  certain 
amount  of  physical  strength  cannot  be  dispensed  with,  and 
a  tight  glove,  even  of  the  best  quality  of  kid,  means  a 
cramped  contraction  of  the  hand  and  fingers  with  conse- 
quent loss  of  power.  The  material,  so  long  as  it  be  stout 
enough,  may  be  of  real  buck-skin,  stout  Suede,  dog's-skin, 
so  called,  or  Cape.  The  best  real  buck-skin  hunting,  driving, 
and  walking-gloves,  for  either  ladies  or  gentlemen,  I  have 
ever  come  across,  are  those  manufactured  by  T.  P.  Lee  and 
Co.,  24,  Duke  Street,  Bloomsbury.  They  are  of  first-class 
soft  material,  well  cut,  hand-sewn  with  waxed  brown  thread, 
and  very  durable ;  in  fact,  everlasting,  and  most  comfortable 
wear. 

A  neat,  light  hunting-crop,  riding-cane,  or  whip  without 
a  tassel^  are  indispensable. 

The  following  is  a  comfortable  and  serviceable  riding-dress 
for  long  country  rides,  picnics,  etc.,  recommended  by  a  lady 
who  can  boast  of  considerable  experience  in  the  saddle 
both  at  home  and  in  the  colonies — one  of  a  riding  family. 
"  Habit — a  short  hunting-skirt,  short  enough  to  walk  in  with 
comfort,  with  jacket  {Norfolk^)  of  the  same  material,  made 
loose  enough  to  admit  of  jersey  being  worn  under  it,  if 
required ;  a  wide  leather  belt  for  the  waist,  fastening  with 
a  buckle.  This  belt  will  be  found  a  great  comfort  and 
support  when  on  horseback  for  many  hours.  Hat  of  soft 
felt,  or  melon-shaped  hat.  Pantaloons  of  chamois  leather, 
buttoning  close  to  the  ankles.  Hussar  or  Wellington  boots 
made  of  Peel  leather,  with  moderate-sized  heels,  tipped  with 


72  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

brass,  and  soles  strong  but  not  thick.  A  leather  stud 
should  be  sewn  on  the  left  boot,  about  two  and  a  half  inches 
above  the  heel,  on  which  stud  the  spur  should  rest,  and 
thus  be  kept  in  its  place  without  tight  buckling.  The  spur 
found  to  be  the  most  useful  after  a  trial  of  many  is  a  rowel 
spur  of  plated  steel  (the  flat  tapered-side,  elastic,  five-pointed 
hunting),  about  two  to  two  and  a  half  inches  long,  strong 
and  light,  hunting  shape,  and  fastened  with  a  strap  and 
buckle,  the  foot-strap  of  plated  steel  chain.  This  chain 
foot-strap  looks  neater  than  a  leather  one,  and  does  not 
become  cut  or  worn  out  when  on  foot  on  rough,  rocky- 
ground.  The  rowel  pin  is  a  screw-pin ;  thus  the  rowel  can 
be  changed  at  pleasure,  and  a  sharp  or  blunt  one  fitted  as 
required  by  the  horse  one  rides."  \In  lieu  of  cha??iois 
leather  I  would  suggest  undressed  deer-ski?tj  as  supplied  by 
Messrs.  E,  Tautz  and  Sons,  485,  Oxford  Street,  Lo7idon, 
which  is  as  soft  as  velvet,  and  needs  no  additional  lining,  so 
apt  to  crease.  And  instead  of  the  boots  I  recommend  water- 
proofed Russia  leather  or  brown  hide,  such  as  men  use  for 
polo,  as  manifactured  by  Faulkner,  52,  South  Alolton  Street, 
London,  W.,  with  low,  flat  heels  tipped  with  mild  steel.] 
The  lady's  idea,  except  with  regard  to  the  interchangeable 
rowel,  the  pin  of  which  must  work  loose,  is  good. 

This  brings  me  to  the  much-vexed  subject  of  the  Spur,  its 
use  and  abuse.  Ladies  should  not  be  mounted  on  horses 
requiring  severe  punishment ;  but  there  are  occasions,  oft  and 
many,  when  "  a  reminder  "  from  a  sharp-pointed  rowel  will 
prove  of  service.  I  do  not  say  that  lady  riders  should  always 
wear  a  persuader ;  on  a  free-going,  generous  horse  it  would 
be  out  of  place,  irritating,  and  annoying ;  but  on  a  lymphatic 
slug,  or  in  the  case  of  a  display  of  temper,  the  armed  heel 
is  most  necessary.  We  must  bear  in  mind  that  almost  all 
of  the  highest  priced  ladies'  horses  have  been  broken  in 


A   LA    CAVALIERE.  73" 


to  carry  a  lady  by  professional  lady-riders,  one  and  all  of 
whom  wear  spurs.  Many  a  horse,  in  the  canter  especially, 
will  not  go  up  to  his  bit  without  an  occasional  slight  prick. 
Women  are  by  nature  supposed  to  be  gentle  and  kindly, 
and  yet  I  know  some  who  are  everlastingly  "  rugging  "  at 
their  horse's  mouths  and  digging  in  the  spur.  They  would 
use  the  whip  also  as  severely  as  the  Latchfords  but  for  the 
exhibition  it  would  entail.  When  punishment  must  be  in- 
flicted, the  spur  as  a  corrective  is  far  more  effective  than  the 
whip  ;  it  acts  instantaneously,  without  warning,  and  the  horse 
cannot  see  it  coming  and  swerve  from  it.  Though  more 
dreaded  it  inflicts  the  lesser  pain  of  the  two.  The  deepest 
dig  from  the  rowel  will  not  leave  behind  it  the  smart  of  the 
weal  from  a  cutting  whip.  The  best  spur  for  ladies  is  the  one 
mentioned  above,  with  fine-pointed  rowel;  it  does  not  tear  the 
habit,  and  the  points  are  long  enough  and  sharp  enough  to 
penetrate  through  the  cloth  should  it  intervene  between  the 
heel  and  the  horse's  side.  No  lady  should  venture  to  wear 
a  spur  till  she  has  acquired  firmness  of  seat,  to  keep  her  left 
leg  steady  in  the  stirrup  and  her  heel  from  constantly 
niggling  the  animal's  ribs.  I  do  not  like  the  spring-sheath 
one-point  spur,  as  it  is  uncertain  in  its  action. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

A    LA    CAVALIERE. 


Much  of  late  has  been  said  and  written  against  and  in 
favour  of  cross-saddle  riding  for  girls  and  women.  A  lady 
at  my  elbow  has  just  given  her  emphatic  opinion  that  it 
is  neither  graceful  nor  modest,  and  she  predicts  that  the 


74  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

system  will  never  come  into  vogue  or  meet  the  approval 
of  the  finer  sense  of  women.  The  riding-masters  are 
against  it  to  a  man,  and  so  are  the  saddlers,  who  argue  that 
the  change  would  somewhat  militate  against  their  business. 
We  are  very  conservative  in  our  ideas,  and  perhaps  it  is 
asking  too  much  of  women,  who  have  ridden  and  hunted 
in  a  habit  on  a  side-saddle  for  years,  to  all  at  once,  or  at 
all,  accept  and  patronize  the  innovation. 

Travellers  notice  the  fact  that  women  never  ride  sideways, 
as  with  us,  but  astride,  like  men.  It  has  generally  been 
supposed  that  the  custom  now  prevailing  in  Europe  and 
North  America  dates  back  only  to  the  Middle  Ages.  As 
a  fact,  the  side-saddle  was  first  introduced  here  by 
Anne  of  Luxembourg,  Richard  II. 's  queen,  and  so  far  back 
as  1 34 1,  according  to  Knighton,  it  had  become  general 
among  ladies  of  first  rank  at  tournaments  and  in  public. 
But  the  system  must  have  prevailed  to  some  extent  in  far 
earlier  times,  for  Rawlinson  discovered  a  picture  of  two 
Assyrian  women  riding  sideways  on  a  mule,  and  on  Etruscan 
vases,  older  than  the  founding  of  Rome,  are  several  repre- 
sentations of  women  so  seated. 

There  were  no  horses  in  Mexico  prior  to  the  advent  of 
the  Spaniards ;  indeed,  from  the  progeny  of  one  Andalusian 
horse  and  mare,  shipped  to  Paraguay  in  1535,  were  bred 
those  countless  mobs  which  have  since  spread  over  the 
whole  southern  part  of  the  new  Western  world,  and,  passing 
the  Isthmus  of  Darien  or  Panama,  have  wandered  into 
North  America.  In  the  great  plains  of  South  America, 
where  the  inhabitants,  all  more  or  less  with  Spanish  blood 
pulsing  through  their  veins,  may  be  said  to  live  on  horse- 
back, it  is  strange  that,  without  some  good  cause,  the  side- 
saddle should  have  been  discarded  for  the  "  Pisana"  fashion 
— the  lady  riding  in  front  of  her  cavalier.     In  Edward  I.'s 


A   LA    CAVA  LIE  RE.  75 


time  our  fair  dames  jogged  behind  their  lords,  or  behind 
somebody  else's  lords,  in  the  conventional  pillion :  then 

"  This  riding  double  was  no  crime 
In  the  first  good  Edward*s  time  ; 
No  brave  man  thought  himself  disgraced 
By  two  fair  arms  around  his  waist ; 
Nor  did  the  lady  blush  vermillion 
Dancing  on  the  lady's  pillion." 

The  attitude  of  the  "  Pisana  "  fashion,  though  in  some  cases 
vastly  agreeable,  is  not  highly  picturesque,  so  there  must 
have  been  some  valid  reason  why  the  side-saddle,  then  in 
general  use  in  Spain,  fell  out  of  favour.  In  long  rides,  it, 
as  at  that  time  constructed,  tired  the  rider,  and  caused 
severe  pain  in  the  spine.  Nowadays  in  Mexico  and  on 
the  Plate  River  there  are  magnificent  horsewomen  who  can 
ride  almost  anything  short  of  an  Australian  buckjumper, 
and  who  never  tire  in  the  saddle,  but  then  they  one  and  all 
patronize  the  cross-saddle,  riding  a  la  cavaliere  or  a  la 
Duchesse  de  Berri.  Their  riding  garb,  and  a  very  be- 
coming one  it  is,  consists  of  a  loose  kind  of  Norfolk  jacket 
or  tunic  secured  at  the  waist  by  a  belt,  loose  Turkish 
pyjamas  thrust  into  riding  boots  of  soft  yellow  leather,  a 
huge  pair  of  Mexican  spurs,  and  the  ladies'  "sombrero." 
Their  favourite  and,  in  fact,  only  pace  is  a  continuous  hand- 
gallop. 

Some  thirty  years  ago  I  remember  seeing  the  ex-Queen  of 
Naples  superbly  mounted,  riding  a  la  cavaliere.  Her  Majesty 
was  then  even  more  beautiful  than  her  Imperial  sister  the 
Empress  of  Austria,  and  quite  as  finished  a  horsewoman. 
She  wore  a  high  and  pointed-crowned  felt  hat,  a  long  white 
cloak,  something  like  the  Algerian  bournouse,  patent-leather 
jack-boots,  and  gilt  spurs.  Her  seat  was  perfect,  as  was 
her  management   of  her   fiery   Arab   or   Barb,  the   effect 


76  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

charming,    and    there   was   nothing    to    raise   the   faintest 

suspicion  of  a  blush  on  the  cheeks  of  the  most  modest. 

There    is    no    doubt   that  the   Duchess  de  Berri  mode  of 

sitting  on  a  horse  is  much  less  fatiguing  to  the  rider,  gives 

her  more  power  over  the  half-broken  animals  that  in  foreign 

countries  do  duty  for  ladies'  horses,  and,  in  a  very  great 

measure,  does  away  with  the  chance  of  establishing  a  raw 

on  the  back.     In  support  of  the  claims  of  this,  to  us,  novel 

manner   of    placing    the    rider   on    her    horse's    back,    I 

quote  from   Miss  Isabella  Bird's  "  Hawaiian  Archipelago." 

Describing  her  visit  to  the  Anuenue  Falls,  that  lady  writes  : 

"  The  ride  was  spoiled  by  my  insecure  seat  in  my  saddle, 

and  the  increased  pain  in  my  side  which  riding  produced. 

Once,  in  crossing  a  stream,  the  horses  had  to  make  a  sort 

of  downward  jump  from  a  rock,  and  I  slipped  round  my 

horse's  neck ;  indeed,  on  the  way  back  I  felt  that,  on  the 

ground  of  health,  I  must  give  up  the  volcano,  as  I  would 

never  consent  to  be  carried  to  it,  like  Lady  Franklin,  in  a 

litter.     When  we  returned,  Mr.  Severance  suggested  that  it 

would  be  much  better  for  me  to  follow  the  Hawaiian  fashion, 

and  ride  astride,  and  put  his  saddle  on  the  horse.     It  was 

only  my  strong  desire  to  see  the  volcano  which  made  me 

consent  to  a  mode  of  riding  against  which  I  have  a  strong 

prejudice ;  but  the  result  of  the  experiment  is  that  I  shall 

visit   Kilauea  thus   or  not  at  all.     The  native  women  all 

ride  astride  on  ordinary  occasions  in  the   full    sacks,  or 

kolukus,  and  on  gala  days  in  the  pan — the  gay  winged  dress 

which  I  described  in  writing  from  Honolulu.     A  great  many 

of  the  foreign  ladies  in  Hawaii  have  adopted  the  Mexican 

saddle  also  for  greater  security  to  themselves  and  ease  to 

their  horses  on  the  steep  and  perilous  bridle-tracks,   but 

they  wear  full  Turkish  trousers  and  jauntily  made  dresses 

reaching  to  the  ankles."     Writing  later  from  the  Colorado 


A   LA    CAVALIERE.  77 

district  of  the  Rockies,  Miss  Bird  adds  :  '*  I  rode  sidewise 
till  I  was  well  out  of  the  town,  long  enough  to  produce  a 
severe  pain  in  my  spine,  which  was  not  relieved  for  some 
time  till  after  I  had  changed  my  position." 

Mrs.  Power  O'Donoghue  runs  a  tilt  with  all  her  might 
against  the  idea  of  any  of  her  sex  riding  like  men.  But 
there  are  so  many  manly  maidens  about  now  who  excel  in 
all  open-air  pastimes  requiring  pluck,  energy,  physical 
activity,  and  strength,  and  who  attire  themselves  suitably  in  a 
sort  of  semi-masculine  style,  that  is  not  asking  too  much  of 
them  to  try  the  virtues  of  the  cross-saddle.  Their  costumes 
are  not  so  much  neglige  as  studiedly,  so  far  as  is  possible 
without  exactly  "  wearing  the  breeches  "  in  public,  of  the 
man,  manly.  One  of  our  Princesses  has  the  credit  of  being  an 
adept  with  the  foils  ;  our  cricket  and  golf  fields  are  invaded 
by  petticoats  of  various  lengths;  we  see  polo  played  by 
ladies  on  clever  blood  ponies ;  they  take  kindly  to 
billiards  and  lawn-tennis ;  and  it  is  whispered  of  a  few  that 
they  can  put  on  the  "  mittens "  and  take  and  give  punish- 
ment. It  is  not  so  much  the  prudery  about  sitting  like  men 
that  excites  the  wrathful  indignation  of  the  opponents  of 
cross-saddle  riding  as  the  apparent  difficulty  of  deciding 
upon  the  thoroughly  neat  and  workwoman-like  costume. 

The  three  different  costumes  represented  in  these  sketches 
do  not  differ  very  greatly  in  propriety.  Shorten  No.  3,  the 
Eilitto  Muddy-Weather  costume — who  says  there's  nothing 
in  a  name? — just  a  trifle  and  encase  the  wearer's  lower 
limbs  in  a  pair  of  Messes  E.  Tautz  and  Son's  gaiters  or 
leggings,  and  we  have  the  costume  sported  the  winter  before 
last  by  a  well  known  lady.  It  certainly  looked,  on  a  wearer 
of  advanced  years,  a  trifle  eccentric,  but  any  pretty  girl, 
in  her  premiere  Jetmesse,  blessed  with  a  good  figure  and 
gait,  would  have  been  the  admired  of  all  admirers.     This 


78 


RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 


costume  with  the  funny  name  is  much  patronized  by  lawn- 
tennis  players,  golfers,  and  skaters.  Nos.  i  and  2  are  as 
like  as  "  two  Dromios,"  and  in  no  very  material  degree 
differ  from   the   short-skirted   walking-dress.      They   have 


No.  2. 


No.  3, 


been  brought  out  with  an  eye  to  riding  a  la  cavalih-e^  and 
being  strong  and  yet  neat  are  intended  for  prairie-riding  in 
the  far  West,  for  the  rough-and-ready  work  of  the  Australian 
or  New  Zealand  bush,  and  for  scouring  over  the  veldt  of 
South  Africa,  or   for  the  hundred   and  one  out-of-the-way 


A   LA    CAVALIERE.  79 

places  of  the  earth,  whither  our  Enghsh  girls  venture,  from 
necessity,  for  adventure,  or  some  more  potent  attraction.  Of 
the  two  I  prefer  No.  i,  which  is  the  smarter.  It  is  nothing 
more  or  less  than  a  short  habit  made  in  the  shape  of  a 
frock-coat,  and  is  buttoned  the  whole  way  down  to  the 
knees.  The  long  boots,  which,  by  the  way,  show  off  a 
pretty  well-turned  ankle  and  foot  to  perfection,  are  certainly 
a  trifle  more  in  evidence  than  is  the  case  when  the  lady 
wears  the  regular  habit  and  is  desirous  of  showing  as  little 
"leg"  as  possible — a  desire,  when  the  foot  is  threes  or 
narrow  fours,  and  the  instep  well  sprung,  not  too  often 
indulged.     No  2  has  a  divided  skirt. 

I  do  not  ask  ladies  of  mature  age,  or  even  those  whose 
seat  is  formed,  to  don  one  or  other  of  these  costumes,  though, 
after  the  experience  of  Miss  Bird  and  others,  they  might, 
under  similar  circumstances,  adopt  both  the  costume,  and 
the  cross-saddle  with  advantage.  In  the  backwoods  and 
jungles  a  wide  latitude  in  dress  may  be  permitted  without 
assailing  the  strictest  modesty. 

The  fashion  of  riding  in  the  cross-saddle,  if  it  is  to  be 
introduced,  as  it  ought  to  be,  must  emanate  from  the 
rising  generation.  The  luxury  of  having  both  feet  in  the 
stirrups,  of  being  able  to  vary  the  length  of  the  leather, 
of  having  a  leg  down  either  side  of  the  horse,  and  a 
distribution  of  the  bearing  equally  on  each  foot,  is  surely 
worthy  of  consideration  when  many  hours  have  to  be  spent 
in  the  saddle  and  long  weary  distances  travelled.  If 
agreeable  to  the  rider,  how  much  more  so  to  the  horse  ? 
We  men  know  what  a  relief  it  is  on  a  long  journey  to  vary 
the  monotonous  walk  or  the  wearying  trot  with  an  occa- 
sioned hard  gallop  "up  in  the  stirrups,"  or  how  it  eases  one 
to  draw  the  feet  out  of  the  stirrups  and  let  the  legs  hang 
free.    I  have  already  hazarded  the  opinion  that  a  lady's  seat 


8o  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

on  a  side-saddle  is  a  very  firm  one,  but  when  she  is  called 
upon  to  ride  half-broken  horses  and  to  be  on  their  backs  for 
hours  at  a  time,  traversing  all  sorts  of  country,  she  un- 
doubtedly is  heavily  handicapped  as  compared  with  a  man. 
Mrs.  O'Donoghue,  much  to  the  damage  of  her  own  con- 
tention, so  clearly  demonstrates  my  views  that  I  venture 
to  quote  verbatim  from  one  of  that  lady's  published 
letters.  "My  companion  was  in  ease  while  I  was  in 
torture.  Because  he  had  a  leg  on  either  side  of  his 
mount,  his  weight  equally  distributed,  and  an  equal  support 
upon  both  sides ;  in  fact  he  had,  as  all  male  riders  have, 
the  advantage  of  a  double  support  in  the  rise;  con- 
sequently, at  the  moment  his  weight  was  removed  from  the 
saddle,  it  was  thrown  upon  both  sides,  and  this  equal 
distribution  enabled  him  to  accomplish  without  fatigue 
that  slow  rise  and  fall  which  is  so  tiring  to  a  lady  whose 
weight,  when  she  is  out  of  the  saddle,  is  thrown  entirely 
upon  one  delicate  limb,  thus  inducing  her  to  fall  again  as 
soon  as  possible."  As  for  mere  grip — the  upright  and 
leaping-heads  versus  both  knees — the  security  in  either  case 
is  about  the  same,  but  the  woman's  position  in  the  side- 
saddle is  the  more  tiring  and  cramping  of  the  two,  and  in 
complete  control  over  the  horse,  the  man's  position  on  the 
horse  has  a  very  decided  advantage. 


APPENDIX    I. 


^^THE   TRAINING  OF   PONIES   FOR   CHILDREN. 

We  will  take  it  for  granted  that  the  colt,  say  a  three  or  four 
year  old,  is  well  accustomed  to  the  restraint  of  the  common  halter, 
and  is  obedient  to  thecavesson  on  both  sides,  also  that  he  leads 
quietly  and  bears  a  fair  amount  of  handling.  Were  I  permitted 
to  explain  the  Galvayne  system,  I  could,  in  a  very  few  pages, 
save  the  breaker  and  the  colt  much  time,  trouble,  and  many 
trials  of  temper  and  patience.  I  have  not  the  professor's  per- 
mission to  make  the  tempting  disclosures.  Without  trenching 
on  his  domain,  I  may  lay  down  the  following  rough-and-ready 
modus  operandi,  which,  however,  I  am  free  to  confess  would  be 
considerably  facilitated  by  a  set  of  his  breaking  tackle,  especially 
of  a  particular  rope,  not  made  of  any  vegetable  fibre,  which,  in 
some  cases,  exercises  a  potential  control.  We  must  just  "  gang 
our  ain  gait "  as  my  countrymen  say. 

Having  fitted  the  colt  with  a  soft-lined  head-collar-bridle,  of 
the  Australian  bush  pattern,  with  strong  hooks  or  straps  by  which 
to  attach  the  bit,  I  proceed  to  bit  him.  The  bit  should  be  on  the 
flexible  principle,  the  mouth-piece  being  either  of  chain  or  a  series 
of  ball  and  socket  sections,  covered  over  with  white  and 
tasteless  rubber,  or  other  soft  and  yielding  material.  It  should 
be  no  thicker  than  a  man's  little  finger.  Inside  the  cheek  and 
leg  of  this  snaffle  I  have  a  large  flat  disc  of  sole  leather,  rounded 
at  the  edges,  stitched  as  a  guard  to  prevent  the  possibility  of 
the  bit  being  drawn  through  the  mouth,  of- pinching  the  cheeks 
against  the  teeth  or  in  any  way  injuring  the  mouth.  Every  bit, 
no  matter  how  merciful,  will,  more  or  less,  make  the  bars  of  the 
mouth  tender,  but  this  least  of  all.  If  any  suffering  is  evident, 
or  any  inflammation  set  up,  then  the  use  of  the  bit  must,  till  all 
appearance  of  undue  redness  has  disappeared,  be  discontinued* 

G 


S2  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

A  little  tincture  of  myrrh  with  eau-de-cologne  applied  with  the 
fore  finger  will  soon  allay  the  irritation  and  remove  the  tender- 
ness. 

The  best  way  to  insert  the  bit  is,  having  fixed  the  near 
ring  to  the  spring  hook  or  strap  on  the  near  side  of  the  head- 
collar,  then  coming  round  to  the  off  side  of  the  head,  gentling 
the  pony's  head  all  the  time  and  soothing  him,  to  quietly  work 
the  two  fore  fingers  of  the  left  hand  into  his  mouth,  and  on  an 
opportunity  offering,  to  slip  the  bit  quickly  into  the  mouth. 
This  must  be  done  deftly,  without  alarming  the  pony,  for  if  the 
first  attempt  result  in  failure  he  is  certain  to  throw  up  his  head, 
run  back,  and  otherwise  thwart  subsequent  endeavours.  A 
little  treacle  smeared  on  the  bit  will  make  it  more  palatable  and 
inviting.  The  first  time  the  bit  is  in  the  colt's  mouth  it  should 
not  be  allowed  to  remain  more  than  an  hour,  and  his  head  must 
be  entirely  without  restraint.  On  removing  it  examine  the 
mouth  to  see  that  it  has  not  been  injured  or  bruised,  and  give 
him  a  carrot,  or  apple.  It  is  immaterial  whether  these  bitting 
lessons  be  given  in  a  roomy  loose-box,  barn,  covered-yard^  or 
small  paddock. 

After  becoming  reconciled  to  the  bit,  strap  on  a  roller  or 
surcingle,  having  two  side  and  one  top  ring  stitched  on  to  it, 
the  side  rings  being  placed  horizontally  about  where  the  rider's 
knees  would  come,  that  on  the  top  fore-and-aft.  Through 
these  three  rings  a  strong  cord  should  be  run  forming  a  sort  of 
running  rein,  tie  the  cord  to  the  off-ring  of  the  snaffle,  bring 
it  back  through  the  off-side  ring,  up  and  through  the  top  ring 
on  the  back,  down  through  that  on  the  near  side,  and  so  on  for- 
ward to  the  near  ring  of  the  bit  to  which  it  is  fastened  with  a 
slip  knot,  taking  care  that  though  a  slight  bearing  be  upon  the 
bars  of  the  mouth,  the  colt's  head  is  not  tightly  reined  in  and  an 
irksome  continuous  strain  kept  on  a  certain  set  of  muscles  of 
the  neck.  This  running-rein  arrangment  admits  of  lateral  play 
of  the  head,  and  minimizes  the  possibility  of  creating  a  one- 
sided mouth. 

After  a  few  short  lessons  in  lounging  on  both  sides  with 
his  head  thus  restrained,  he  may  be  made  to  stand  in  stall 
with  his  hindquarters  to  the  manger,  the  reins  being  fastened 
to  the  post  on  either  side.  If  the  stall,  as  probably  will  be 
the  case,  be  too  wide,  narrow  it  by  placing  sheep  hurdles  laced 
with  straw  on  either  side  of  him,  so  narrowing  his  standing 
room  that  he  must  preserve  a  fair  "  fore  and  aft "  position. 
The  reins  must  be,  if  the  pillars  are  too  high,  fastened  to  the 
three  rings  on  the  surcingle  as  explained  above.     In  addition 


APPENDIX  I.  83 


to  the  single  reins  there  must  also  be  driving  reins  or  cords, 
carefully  adjusted  as  to  length,  so  as  to  preserve  an  even  pres- 
sure on  either  side  of  the  mouth,  attached  to  the  rings  on  the 
manger,  so  that  any  attempt  to  advance  is  immediately  curbed 
by  the  strain  on  the  bit. 

These  lessons  should  not  extend  over  more  than  an  hour  at  a 
time,  and  during  them  the  trainer  should  occasionally,  by  taking 
the  bit  in  both  hands  on  either  side  facing  him,  or  by  laying 
hold  of  the  long  reins,  cause  him,  exercising  only  gentle 
pressure,  to  rein  back,  saying  at  the  same  time  in  a  tone  of 
quiet  command,  "back."  There  will  be  plenty  of  room  for  this 
in  a  full-sized  stall.  He  may  also  be  taught  to  bend  his  head 
to  the  right  when  the  off-rein  is  pulled  upon  or  even  twitched, 
and  so  on  with  the  left. 

The  instructor's  aim  must  be  to  instil  into  his  mind  the  firm 
conviction  that  it  is  as  impossible  to  resist  the  pressure  of  the 
bit  on  either  side  of  the  mouth  as  it  is  to  advance  against  it. 
Extreme  kindness  and  gentleness  must  be  exercised  in  this 
initial  training,  each  comphance  with  the  teacher's  hand  and 
voice  being  at  once  met  with  some  encouragement  or  reward, 
in  shape  of  a  word  or  two  of  soothing  approval,  gentling  his 
head,  and  a  few  oats  or  pieces  of  carrot  or  apple — in  the  tropics 
sugar-cane  or  carrot — the  bit  being  removed  from  the  mouth  for 
the  purpose.  Horses  of  all  sorts  are  very  quick  in  their  likes 
and  dislikes.  From  the  start  never  let  the  colt  take  a  dead  pull 
at  the  reins,  let  all  the  pressures  be  exerted  in  a  light  feeling 
manner  with  the  fingers  not  the  hands. 

On  becoming  fairly  proficient  at  his  indoor  lesson,  we  will  now, 
with  his  Australian  bush  pattern  head-collar-bridle  on,  a  pair  of 
long  reins  run  from  the  snaffle  through  the  side  rings  of  the  sur- 
cingle back  into  the  trainer's  hands,  who  Avill  walk  behind  him, 
and  led  by  a  leading  rein  attached  to  the  near  side  of  the  head- 
collar  but  wholly  unconnected  with  the  bit,  take  him  into  a  quiet 
yard  or  paddock.  He  has  now  to  be  taught  to  stop,  back,  and 
turn  to  his  bit.  The  control  exercised  by  the  assistant  holding 
the  leading  rein  just  suffices  to  prevent  the  colt  rushing  about, 
or  under  sudden  alarm  running  back  ;  he  will  also,  though 
giving  him  a  perfectly  free  rein,  be  sufficiently  close  to  his  head 
to  aid  him  in  obeying  the  mandates  of  the  trainer.  After  walk- 
ing about  as  quietly  as  possible  for  some  time,  teaching  him 
how  to  incline  and  turn,  the  feel  on  the  mouth  with  a  moderately 
tight  rein  being  carefully  preserved,  he  will  be  on  the  word 
"  Whoa  !  "  brought  to  a  stand  still,  and  made  to  stand  still  and 
motionless  as  a  well-trained  charger  on  parade. 


S4  RIDING  FOR   LADIES. 

In  the  lessons  on  turning,  he  may  if  needful  be  touched  with 
the  whip,  07ily  if  needful^  and  then  the  lash  should  fall  as  lightly 
as  the  fly  from  some  expert  fisherman's  rod,  the  touch  of  the  silk 
or  whip-cord  coming  simultaneously  with  the  touch  on  the  bars  of 
the  mouth.  For  instance,  he  is  required  to  turn  to  the  right  and 
hangs  a  bit  on  the  rein  without  answering  the  helm,  then  a  slight 
touch  on  the  near  shoulder  will  send  him  up  to  his  bit,  give  him 
an  inclination  to  turn  smartly  in  the  direction  wished  for,  and 
the  movement  may  be  hastened  by  the  point  of  the  whip  being 
pressed  against  the  off  buttock,  or  upper  thigh  on  the  outside. 
The  pull  must  not  be  a  jerk  but  a  decided  lively  pull.  Always 
let  him  go  forward  as  much  as  space  will  permit  of  before 
making  another  turn  ;  he  must  not  be  confused  and  so  provoked 
to  be  stubborn  or  fight.  Let  all  the  turns  be  to  one  hand  for 
the  first  few  minutes  then  turn  him  in  the  reverse  direction. 
Should  he  get  his  head  down  and  endeavour  to  establish  a 
steady  dead  pull,  do  not  indulge  him,  but  step  in  closer  to  his 
quarters  so  that  the  strain  is  at  once  off  the  reins,  and  the 
moment  that  he  once  more  feels  his  bit  instantly  make  him  come 
to  a  full  halt  with  the  word  ''  Whoa."  To  make  a  horse  stand 
after  being  halted,  the  Arabs  throw  the  bridle  over  his  head  and 
let  the  rein  drag  on  the  ground.  When  the  colt  is  being  broken 
the  bridle  is  thus  left  hanging  down  between  his  fore  legs,  and 
a  slave  gives  it  a  sharp  jerk  whenever  a  step  in  advance  is 
taken.  By  this  means  the  horse  is  duped  into  the  delusion  that 
the  pain  inflicted  on  his  mouth  or  nose  is  caused  by  his  moving 
while  the  rein  is  in  this  pendant  position.  What  is  taught  in 
the  desert  maybe  taught  in  the  paddock.  The  slightest  attempt 
to  move  forward  without  the  "  click  "  must  at  once  be  stopped. 

The  "backing  "  lesson  is,  as  a  rule,  a  very  simple  one,  though 
there  are  some  horses  which  decline  to  adopt  this  retrograde 
motion.  To  rein  back,  the  trainer,  standing  immediately  behind 
the  colt,  either  exerts  an  even  and  smart  pressure  on  both  reins, 
drawing  them,  if  need  be,  through  the  mouth,  when  the  horse 
will  first  bend  himself  getting  his  head  in  handsomely  and  then 
begin  to  step  back.  At  first  he  will  be  perhaps,  a  little  awk- 
ward, but  will  soon  learn  to  use  his  hocks  and  to  adopt  this 
strange  gait.  If  there  be  any  difficulty  about  getting  his  head 
in — it  must  not  be  up  and  out  with  the  bit  in  the  angles  of  the 
mouth — the  assistant  should  place  the  flat  of  his  hand  on  the 
animal's  face  pressing  its  heel  firmly  on  the  cartilage  of  the  nose. 
The  backward  movement  must  cease  on  the  word  "Whoa  !  " 
and  the  relaxation  of  the  rein.  A  horse  must  not  be  taught  to 
run  back,  some  acquire  the  bad  habit  too  readily  to  a  dangerous 


APPENDIX  I.  85 


extent.  I  may  here  say  that  when  a  horse  is  given  to  this  vice 
the  best  plan  is  to  turn  him  at  once  and  sharply  in  the  direc- 
tion he  wants  to  go.  In  tuition  what  we  want  to  arrive  at  is  a 
sort  of  military  "  two  paces  step  back,  march  !  " 

In  these  introductory  lessons  the  main  use  of  the  assistant 
with  his  loose  yet  ready  leading  rein  is  to  prevent  the  colt  from 
turning  suddenly  round  and  facing  the  trainer,  a  contretemps 
with  a  Galvayne's  tackle  next  to  impossible.  Reins  should  not, 
however,  be  tried  at  all  till  the  lessons  in  the  loose  box  and  in 
the  stall  are  so  well  learnt  that  there  is  little  or  no  fear  of  sudden 
fright,  ebullitions  of  temper,  or  other  causes  of  disarrangement 
and  entanglement  of  the  long  driving  reins.  When  the  habit 
of  yielding  to  the  indication  of  the  rein  has  once  been  acquired 
and  well  established,  it  becomes  a  sort  of  second  nature,  which 
under  no  circumstances,  save  those  of  panic  or  confirmed  bolt- 
ing, is  ever  forgotten.  A  few  lessons  carefully,  firmly,  patiently, 
and  completely  given  will  cause  the  colt  to  answer  the  almost 
imperceptible  touch  of  the  rein  or  the  distinct  word  of  command. 
Once  perfected  in  answering  the  various  signals  at  the  walk,  he 
is  then  put  through  precisely  the  same  movements  at  a  trot,  and 
to  be  an  effective  teacher,  the  breaker  must  not  only  be  a  good 
runner,  but  in  good  wind,  he  must  be  active  enough  to  show 
such  a  horse  as  "  Beau  Lyons "  at  the  Hackney  Show  at 
Ishngton.  A  pony  such  as  is  "  Norfolk  Model,"  one  a  hand 
higher  and  of  a  very  different  stamp,  it  is  true,  from  what  I 
commend  for  children,  would  make  a  crack  "  sprinter  "  put  forth 
his  best  pace. 

During  the  time  the  pony  is  acquiring  the  A  B  C  or  rudiments 
of  his  education,  he  must  be  frequently  and  carefully  handled. 
Every  effort  should  be  made  to  gain  his  confidence.  Like  all 
beasts  of  the  field  the  speediest  and  surest  way  to  his  affection 
is  down  his  throat ;  he  is  imbued  with  a  large  share  of  "  cupboard 
love,"  so  the  trainer  should  always  have  some  tit-bit  in  his 
pocket  wherewith  to  reward  good  behaviour  and  progress  made  ; 
moreover,  the  pupil  should  be  aware  of  the  existence  and  where- 
abouts of  this  store-room.  The  handling  must  be  general. 
Rub  the  head  well  over  with  the  hands,  always  working  with, 
and  never  against  the  run  of  the  hair.  Pull  his  ears  gently 
(never  pull  the  long  hair  out  from  the  inside)  rub  the  roots,  the 
eyes  and  muzzle,  work  back  from  the  ears  down  the  neck  and 
fore  legs,  between  the  fore  legs,  at  the  back  of  the  elbows,  and 
along  the  back,  talking  to  him  all  the  while.  Before  going  to  the 
flanks  and  hind  quarters  make  him  lift  both  fore  feet.  If  there  be 
any  disinclination  to  obey,  a  strap  should  be  wound  round  the  fet- 


86  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

lock  joint,  the  trainer  then  taking  a  firm  hold  of  the  ends  in  his 
right  hand  says  in  a  loud  voice  "  Hold  up  !  "  at  the  same  time  with 
the  palm  of  the  left  hand,  throwing  a  portion  of  his  weight  on  to 
the  near  shoulder  ;  this,  by  throwing  the  animal's  weight  over  on 
to  the  offside,  enables  the  foot  to  be  easily  held  up. 

This  lesson  imparted,  it  is  extended  to  the  off  fore  foot.  Should 
the  colt,  by  laying  back  his  ears,  showing  the  whites  of  his  eyes, 
hugging  his  tail,  and  other  demonstrations  of  wickedness,  evince 
his  objections  to  being  handled  behind  the  girth,  one  of  the  fore 
feet  must  be  held  up  and  strapped,  the  buckle  of  the  strap  being 
on  the  outside  of  the  arm,  the  foot  brought  so  close  to  the  point 
of  the  elbow  that  no  play  is  left  to  the  knee  joint.  Then  com- 
mence to  wisp  him  all  over  commencing  with  the  head,  but,  if 
he  is  not  very  restive," do  not  keep  the  weight  on  three  legs  more 
than  ten  minutes  at  a  time,  though  he,  if  not  overburdened  with 
fat,  could  easily  stand  very  much  longer,  or  travel  a  mile  or  so 
on  three  legs.  The  object,  unless  vice  be  displayed,  is  merely  to 
prevent  serious  resistance  and  to  convince  him  that  the  opera- 
tion causes  no  pain.  The  wisp,  the  assistant  all  the  time  stand- 
ing at  his  head  speaking  in  low  reassuring  tone,  patting  and 
caressing  him,  in  the  hands  of  the  operator  should  be  at  first 
very  gently  then  briskly  applied  to  the  flanks,  over  the  loins, 
down  the  quarters  and  along  the  channel  running  between  the 
buttocks,  inside  the  flanks,  stifles  and  haunches,  over  the  sheath, 
down  inside  the  hocks,  in  fact  anywhere  and  everywhere  known 
to  be  tender  and  "kittle."  Having  succeeded  with  the  near 
fore  foot  up,  release  it,  let  him  rest  awhile  and  find  his  way  to  the 
store-room  dainties.  Go  through  precisely  the  same  lesson 
with  the  right  foot  up,  on  this  occasion  giving  special  attention 
to  those  parts  which  he  most  strongly  objects  to  being  handled. 
Dwell  over  his  hocks  and  the  inside  of  his  stifles,  handle  his 
tail,  freely  sponging  his  dock  out,  running  the  sponge  down 
through  the  channel  over  the  sheath,  the  inside  of  the  thighs 
and  hocks.  Release  the  fore  foot,  and  if  he  will  stand  a  repe- 
tition of  all  these  liberties  quietly,  he  has  learnt  one  important 
part  of  his  education. 

Elsewhere  I  have  endeavoured  to  describe  the  unsophisticated 
antics  displayed  by  the  fresh-caught  Australian  buck-jumper  and 
the  inveterate  plunger  in  endeavouring  to  dislocate  their  riders. 
In  the  one  case  it  is  the  untaught,  unpractised  effort  of  an  animal 
in  a  paroxysm  of  fear  ;  in  the  other  the  vice  of  the  artful,  tricky, 
practitioner.  In  either  case  the  horseman  may  be,  very  often  is, 
"  slung  "  handsomely,  wondering,  as  he  picks  himself  up,  dazed 
and  bewildered  with  an  incoherent  idea  as  to  what  had  befallen 


APPENDIX  I.  87 


him,  and  how  he  got  there.  If  a  wild  horse  suddenly  finds  a 
panther  or  a  tiger  on  his  back,  he  at  once,  in  terror,  endeavours 
by  a  succession  of  flings  to  get  rid  of  the  incubus.  So  it  is  with 
the  unbroken  colt  bred  in  captivity,  and  especially  so  with  the 
pony  fresh  from  his  native  hills  or  pastures.  What  must  be  his 
astonishment  when,  for  the  first  time  he  feels  a  saddle  tightly 
girthed  to  his  back,  and  the  weight  of  some  one  in  it  ?  His 
first  and  only  feeling  is  that  of  fear,  so,  being  prevented  by  the 
bit  and  bridle  from  rushing  off  at  the  verge  of  his  speed,  he  by 
bucks,  plunges,  and  kicks,  sets  to  work  to  throw  the  rider. 

In  mounting  the  colt  the  first  attempts  at  making  him  quite 
quiet  during  the  process  should  be  in  the  direction  of  ehminating 
every  sense  of  fear.  As  saddles,  especially  if  badly  stuffed  and 
cold,  are  the  cause  of  many  back  troubles,  I  prefer  to  have  him, 
in  the  first  instance,  ridden  in  a  rug  or  sheepskin,  the  wool  next 
his  hair,  kept  in  its  place  by  a  broad  web  surcingle.  Hold  the 
rug  or  skin  to  his  nose,  and  let  him  smell  and  feel  it,  rub  it  over 
his  head,  down  his  neck,  in  fact  all  over  him,  not  neatly  folded 
up  but  loose  ;  toss  it  about,  drag  it  over  him,  round  him,  be- 
tween his  fore  legs,  under  his  belly,  and  out  between  his  thighs. 
When  he  takes  no  heed  of  it,  fold  it  up  on  his  back  and  girth 
it  on  with  the  surcingle.  Then  lead  him  out  for  half  an  hour  or 
so  occasionally,  pulling  up  to  lean  a  good  bit  of  weight  on 
his  back. 

On  returning  to  the  loose  box,  covered  yard,  or  paddock, 
the  first  lesson  in  mounting  will  be  commenced.  Having 
secured  the  services  of  some  active  smart  lad  who.  can  ride 
and  vault,  the  lighter  the  better,  make  him  stand  on  a 
mounting  block,  an  inverted  empty  wine  chest  will  do,  placed 
near  his  fore  leg.  If  the  pony  be  nervous  at  this  block,  let  him 
examine  it,  smell  it,  touch  it,  and  even  eat  a  few  carrots  off  it. 
Standing  on  this  coign  of  advantage,  the  lad  must  loll  over  him, 
patting  him,  reaching  down  well  on  the  off  side,  leaning  at  first 
a  portion,  and  then  his  whole  weight  on  him.  If  he  makes  no 
objection  to  this  treatment,  the  lad  should  seat  himself  on  his 
back,  mounting  and  dismounting  repeatedly,  slowly  but  neatly, 
being  careful  not  to  descend  on  his  back  with  a  jerk.  So  long 
as  the  colt  shows  no  fear,  this  gymnastic  practice  may  be  varied 
with  advantage  to  almost  any  extent,  the  contact  of  the  gymnast's 
body  with  that  of  the  pony  being  as  close  as  possible.  He 
should  not  only  vault  all  over  him  and  straddle  him,  but  should 
crawl  and  creep  all  over  him  and  under  him,  winding  up  by 
vaulting  on  his  back,  over  his  head,  and  over  his  quarters.  I 
have  frequently  taught  Arabs  to  put  their  heads  between  my 


88  RIDING  FOR   LADIES, 

legs  and  by  the  sudden  throw-up  of  their  necks  to  send  me  into 
the  saddle  face  to  the  tail.  On  no  account  hurry  this  mounting 
practice,  do  not  let  him  be  flustered  or  fatigued,  and  see  that 
the  rider's  foot  deftly  clears  him  without  once  touching  or  kick- 
ing him  ;  much  depends  on  the  clean  manner  in  which  the 
various  mountings  and  dismountings  are  performed. 

The  mounting  block  will  be  dispensed  with  so  soon  as  the  rider 
is  permitted  to  throw  his  right  leg  over  his  back  and  to  straddle 
him  without  starting.  It  is  essential  that  he  should  stand  stock 
still  and  that  he  should  not  move  forward  without  the  usual 
"  klick."  When  quite  patient  and  steady  in  being  mounted  with 
the  rug  or  fleece,  a  nice  light  5  lb.  polo  or  racing  saddle  with  a 
"  Humane  "  numnah  under  it  should  be  substituted,  and  if  the 
pony's  shoulders  are  low  and  upright  a  crupper  will  be  necessary. 
Care  must  be  taken  that  the  crupper  strap  is  not  too  tight,  also 
that  the  crupper  itself  does  not  produce  a  scald  under  the  dock 
of  the  tail ;  a  strip  of  lamb-skin,  the  wool  next  the  dock,  will  en- 
sure that.  After  being  led  about  in  the  saddle  for  a  time,  he  is 
brought  into  the  box  or  yard  and  there  mounted  by  the  lad,  the 
trainer  having  hold  of  the  leading  rein,  the  rider  of  the  bridle. 

Now  a  word  as  to  the  said  lad.  All  he  has  to  do  is  to  preserve 
the  hghtest  possible  touch  of  the  mouth,  and  to  sit  firm  and 
sit  quiet.  I  would  rather  prefer  that  he  did  not  hail  from  a 
racing  stable,  for  these  imps — the  most  mischievous  of  their  race 
— are  up  to  all  sorts  of  tricks  and  are  accustomed  to  ride  trust- 
ing almost  entirely  to  the  support  gained  from  their  knotted 
bridle  and  the  steady  pressure  against  the  stirrup  somewhat 
after  the  principle  of  the  coachman  and  his  foot-board.  He 
must  be  forced  to  keep  his  heels  and  his  ashplant  quiet.  I  am 
averse  to  much  lounging  and  am  confident  it  is  overdone.  On 
carrying  the  lad  quietly  led  by  hand,  the  following  lessons 
should  be  in  company  with  some  staid  old  stager.  Markedly 
gregarious  in  his  habits,  the  horse  never  feels  so  happy  or  con- 
tended as  when  in  company  ;  in  the  society  of  a  well-behaved 
tractable  member  of  his  family  he  will  do  all  that  is  required  of 
him.  Soon  the  leading  rein  will  be  superfluous  and  the  pony 
and  his  rider  will  be  able  to  go  anywhere  at  any  pace.  It  is  es- 
pecialy  advisable  that  when  his  first  rides  lie  away  from  home 
he  should  be  ridden  in  company  with  some  other  horse,  or  he 
may  turn  restive.  Be  very  careful  not  to  attempt  anything  with 
him  that  may  lead  up  to  a  fight  in  which  he  may  remain  master. 
Any  disposition  on  his  part  to  "  reest  "  or  to  break  out  into  re- 
bellion is  proof  of  his  not  having  learnt  his  first  lessons  pro- 
perly.    Far  better  to  lead  him  away  from  home  for  a  mile  or 


APPENDIX  11. 


89 


two  and  then  to  mount  him,  than  to  hazard  any  difference  of 
opinion.  The  example  of  a  well-broken,  well-ridden,  well- 
mannered  horse  is  very  important.  One  act  of  successful  dis- 
obedience may  undo  the  careful  labour  of  weeks  and  necessitate 
very  stringent  measures,  such  as  those  described  in  my  previous 
volume,  in  the  case  of  confirmed  vice.  Weeks  of  careful  riding 
always  under  the  trainer's  eye,  will  be  required  before  the  lessons 
are  complete,  and  the  pupil  sobered  down  so  as  to  be  a  safe 
and  comfortable  convevance  for  children  beginners. 


APPENDIX    II 


EXTENSION   AND   BALANCE   MOTIONS. 

The  following  are  adapted  as  closely  as  possible  from  the 
carefully  thought-out  system  of  Military  Equitation  practised 
in  the  British  Army,  and  may  be  executed  as  follows  : — 

Prepare  for  Extensio7i  and  Balance  Motions. — On  this  caution 
each  rider  will  turn  his  horse  facing  the  Instructor,  drop  the 
reins  on  the  horse's  neck,  and  let  both  arms  hang  down  easily 
from  the  shoulders,  with  the  palms  of  the  hands  to  the  front. 
This  is  the  position  oi  Attentio7i. 

Caution. — First  Practice. 

fOn  the  word  "One"  bring  the  hands,  at  the  full 
extent  of  the  arms,  to  the  front,  close  to  the  body, 
knuckles  downwards  till  the  fingers  meet  at  the 
points  ;  then  raise  in  a  circular  direction  over 
the  head,  the  ends  of  the  fingers  still  touching 
and  pointing  downwards  so  as  to  touch  the  fore- 
head, thumbs  pointing  to  the  rear,  elbows  pressed 
back,  shoulders  kept  well  down. 

On  the  word  "Two,"  throw  the  hands  up,  extending 
the  arms  smartly  upwards,  palms  of  the  hands 
inwards  ;  then  force   them   obhquely  back,  and 
gradually  let  them  fall  to  Hie  position  of  Atten- 
tion, the  first  position,  elevating   the  neck  and 
chest  as  much  as  possible. 
N.B. — The  foregoing  motions  are  to  be  done  slowly,  so  that 
the  muscles  may  be  fully  exerted  throughout.     No  stirrup  is  to 
be  used. 


"One"      < 


"Two"      \ 


90  RIDING  FOR  LADIES. 

Caution. — Second  Practice. 

'On  the  word  "  One  "  raise  the  hands  in  front  of  the 
a  Q       .,       I     body,  at  the  full  extent  of  the  arms,  and  in  a  Hne 
with  the  mouth,  palms  meeting,  but  without  noise, 
thumbs  close  to  the  forefingers. 

On  the  word  "  Two,"  separate  the  hands  smartly, 
"  Two "       \     throwing  them  well  back,   slanting  downwards, 
palms  turned  slightly  upward. 

!0n  the  word  "  One,"  resume  the  first  position  above 
described,  and  so  on,  sitting  down  on  the  saddle 
without  any  attempt,  in  resuming  the  first  posi- 


tion, to  rise. 


u  thrff  "  1^^  ^^^  word  "Three,''  smartly  resume  the  position 

In  this  practice  the  second  motion  may  be  continued  without 
repeating  the  words  "  One,"  "Two,"  by  giving  the  order  "  Con- 
tinue the  Motion  :  "  on  the  word  "  Steady,"  the  second  position 
is  at  once  resumed,  the  rider  remaining  in  that  position,  head 
well  up,  chin  in,  and  chest  thrown  out,  on  the  word  "  Three," 
resuming  the  position  o{  Aifcntion. 

Caution. —  Third  Practice. 

iOn  the  word  "  One,"  raise  the  hands,  with  the  fists 
clenched,  in  front  of  the  body,  at  the  full  extent 
of  the  arms,  and  in  line  with  the  mouth,  thumbs 
upwards,  fingers  touching. 
jOn  the  word  "  Two,"  separate  the  hands  smartly, 
"  Two  "       I     throwing  the  arms  back  in  line  with  the  shoulders, 
I     back  of  the  hands  downwards. 

"Thrfv''  i^^  ^^  word  "Three,"  swing  the  arms  round  as 

\     quickly  as  possible  from  front  to  rear. 
"  Steady  "'  On  the  word  "  Steady,"  resume  the  second  position. 

"Four"     i^^  ^^  word  "  Four,"  let  the  arms  fall  smartly  to 
1     the  position  oi  Attention. 

Caution. — Fourth  Practice. 

j  On  the  word  "  One,"  lean  back  until  the  back  of 
"  One"       I     the  head  touches  the  horse's  quarter,  but  moving 

(     the  legs  as  little  as  possible. 
"  Two  "         On  the  word  "  Two,"  resume  the  original  position. 


APPENDIX  II. 


91 


Caution. — Fifth  Practice. 

I  On  the  word  "  One,"  lean  down  to  the  left  side  and 
"One"       ]     touch  the  left  foot  with  the    left  hand  without, 
I     however,  drawing  up  the  foot  to  meet  the  hand. 

"  Two"         On  the  word  "  Two,"  resume  the  original  position. 

The  same  practice  should  also  be  done  to  the  right  reaching 
down  as  far  as  possible,  but  without  drawing  the  left  heel  up 
and  back. 

The  following  practice  can  only  be  performed  in  the  cross- 
saddle,  by  pupils  learning  to  ride  d  la  cavaticre,  and  suitably 
dressed. 

Caution. — Sixth  Practice. 

On  the  word  "  One,"  pass  the  right  leg  over  the 
horse's  neck,  and,  turning  on  the  seat,  sit  facing 
the  proper  left,  keeping  the  body  upright,  and  the 
hands  resting  on  the  knees.     The  leg  must  not 


"One"      \ 


\    be  bent  in  passing  over  the  horse's  neck. 

On  the  word  "Two,"  pass' the  left  leg   over  the 

horse's  quarter,  and  turning  in  the  seat,  sit  facing 

Two  "      {     to  the  rear,  assuming,  as  much  as  possible,  the 

I     proper    mounted    position,    the    arms    hanging 

\    behind  the  thighs. 

'On  the  word  "Three,"  pass  the  right  leg  over  the 
horse's  quarter,  and,  turning  in  the  seat,  sit  facing 
to  the  proper  right,  the  body  upright,  and  the 
hands  resting  on  the  knees. 

On  the  word  "Four,"  pass  the  left  leg  over  the 
horse's  neck,  and,  turning  in  the  seat,  resume  the 
proper  mounted  position. 

Each  of  the  above  motions  may  be  performed  by  command 
of  the  instructor  without  repeating  the  words  "  One,"  "  Two," 
"  Three,"  etc. 


Three" 


"Four" 


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Tufts  Uaiversity 
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